Ideas to Inspire

This week our three spelling bee grade level champs (one per grade level) will face off or spell off to come up with two representatives for Kamehameha Hawaii in the district spelling bee.

Even if your child did not make it to the spelling bee finals, spelling is still a very important skill. The precise word can bring voice and clarity to an essay, and spelling correctly confuse readers who have to work harder to understand what you’re trying to say in your writing.

 Spell It!, the Scripps National Spelling Bee study site was created in cooperation with Merriam-Webster. Although it was created to help our students study for the spelling bee, our other students can use this site to improve their spelling skills. Spell It! focuses on about 1150 words, divided into sections by language of origin. Studying language of origin will enable you to learn and remember several important rules, tips, and guidelines for successfully spelling words in English—the most challenging language of all for spellers!

Each section contains one or more “challenge words” in addition to its basic study list. Also included is our list of “Words You Need to Know.” These words appear frequently in student essays, and every writer should become familiar with them. You should also study these words to prepare for classroom bees.

All of the words listed are linked to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary with audio pronunciations. If a list word has a dialog bubble next to it, click on the bubble to see a spelling tip for that word. And don’t miss the general tips available under the Tips tab in most sections.