Spelling Course - FAQ Contents
- 1. What are the basic levels the spellers will be grouped into and what will be the level of words representative of each level?
- 2. I have a PreK/K-Grade child -- will he/she benefit from the Jr. Spelling Course?
- 3. Does the PreK/K Grade child need to be able to write to be able to participate?
- 4. Will there be an entrance test?
- 5. Will there be words of all levels within the entrance test?
- 6. What is the suggested preparation for this Spelling Course?
- 7. What is the content of the Spelling Course?
- 8. What is your mode of instruction?
- 9. Can the parent request for speller to be taught in specific level?
- 10. Will the 6-week course be sufficient to prepare my speller for any spelling competition(s)?
- 11. Will this course be conducted again later in the year?
- 12. Are the spellers supposed to master a certain set of words to move on to the next level?
- 13. Where will this Spelling Course be held?
- 14. What is the registration fee structure?
What are the basic levels the spellers will be grouped into and what will be the level of words representative of each level?
Here are some tentative levels planned for the spellers grouping:
- Level 1 - Emergent Spellers
- Recommended for Grades K-2 and precocious Pre-K spellers.
- Exposure to basic phonetics.
- Level 2 - Intermediate Spellers
- Recommended for Grades 2-3 and advanced K-1 spellers.
- Basic Vocabulary study (WordMasters Blue level).
- Level 3 - Accelerated Spellers
- Recommended for Grades 3-4 and advanced Grade 1-2 spellers.
- Basic Vocabulary study (WordMasters Gold level).
- Level 4 - Proficient Spellers
- Recommended for Grades 5-6 and advanced Grade 3-4 spellers.
- Advanced vocabulary study (Word analogies on typical PSAT/SAT tests).
- Basic Etymology study.
- Level 5 - Master Spellers
- Recommended for Grades 7-8 and advanced Grade 4-5 spellers.
- Advanced vocabulary study (Word analogies on typical SAT/GRE type tests).
- Advanced Etymology study.
I have a PreK/K-Grade child -- will he/she benefit from the Jr. Spelling Course?
The passion for spelling often starts early. Emergent spellers are just beginning to "write" on their own, using random marks, representational drawings, mock linear or letter-like writing, and random letters and numbers. To address the needs of emergent spellers special emphasis will be given to their phonological awareness and basic vocabulary development as well as alphabet knowledge and concepts about print and initial letter-sound correspondences.
Does the PreK/K Grade child need to be able to write to be able to participate?
Majority of spelling bees aimed at PreK/K Graders only need the spellers to pick a correct choice for answers based on a variety of spelling clues. Writing abilities are hence typically not a key to doing well on these competitions. In line with the actual expectations, our Emergent Spellers course as well, does not have writing as its pre-requisite.
Will there be an entrance test?
As the curriculum dealing with spelling study is very loosely defined under the umbrella of Language Arts in most schools, it is very difficult to gauge the exact level of a speller via their academic grade alone. Additionally, factors such as natural ability, passion for the subject and exposure to good literature are key components to better spelling and may affect the overall spelling ability of a student. The entrance test helps establish a level-of-excellence and enables us to place the speller amongst other spellers of equal ability.
Will there be words of all levels within the entrance test?
Yes -- words chosen for the entrance test begin at an easy level and build-up towards highly complex letter formations, thus anyone from Kindergarten to Grade6 or higher can be tested for spelling proficiency.
What is the suggested preparation for this Spelling Course?
All the words for specific levels will be discussed in detail during the hands-on sessions. We do not expect parents/students to need to refer to any extra material/references.
What is the content of the Spelling Course?
When confounded by an entirely new word an elite speller will typically employ his/her vast arsenal of spelling-related skillset to arrive at the best answer:
- Understands how to use a dictionary.
- Understands how words are broken up into syllables.
- Recognizes Short- and Long-Vowel sounds and patterns.
- Can effectively understand and use prefixes, endings and suffixes.
- Can recognize diphthongs and other ambiguous vowel sounds.
- Can properly form possessives and plural words.
- Recognizes nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.
- Recognizes the schwa sound.
- Recognizes compound words.
- Conceptual understanding of inflectional endings for plural and past tense.
- Question specific patterns as Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Heteronyms and Eponyms.
- Understands silent letters as well as consonant/vowel digraphs and consonant clusters.
- Understands how to use a thesaurus and concepts of synonyms and antonyms.
- Finally, understands etymology -- the knowledge of word-roots -- Latin, Greek, French, etc.,
What is your mode of instruction?
The Spelling course will make use of a variety of methods closely resembling those of the typical spelling bee elimination routines. Mock written and oral rounds will be conducted. Then in a fun way we shall make them aware of the typical tricks involved and simple methods to arrive at the correct spelling.
Can the parent request for speller to be taught at a specific level?
The entrance test is carefully designed and calibrated and will be the best guide for this purpose. In addition we will consider documented standings in school-level and county-level spelling bees as well as premier competitions such as MastiSpell. Entrance test results will be shared with parents if requested.
Will the 6-week course be sufficient to prepare my speller for any spelling competition(s)?
Depending on the current-level of the speller, the 6-week course will aid in taking them to the next level.
Will this course be conducted again later in the year?
There is a good likelihood that this course will be conducted periodically. Please add your name to our distribution list so that we can keep you informed.
Are the spellers supposed to master a certain set of words to move on to the next level?
Mastery of spellings is a slow-and-steady process. We believe in creating interest and stabilizing the basic building blocks of word formations before moving on to more complex patterns and rules. Thus list-wise memorization of words is generally neither advised nor a sufficient condition to move to the next level.
Where will this Spelling Course be held?
The Spelling Course will be held in Ashburn, VA. The exact location and dates/times will be provided in advance to those who register. If you have any more questions or queries please Contact us.
What is the registration fee structure?
Registration fees and schedule details for different courses are here. There is a 15% discount for additional siblings.