Ever wonder if those spelling bee kids know the meanings of some of those big words? Now they’ll have to prove that they do.
Organizers of the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Tuesday announced a major change to the format, adding multiple-choice vocabulary tests to the annual competition that crowns the English language’s spelling champ.
Executive Director Paige Kimble said the changes help reinforce the competition’s purpose — to encourage students to improve their spelling and broaden their knowledge of the language.
“What we know with the championship-level spellers is that they think of their achievement in terms of spelling and vocabulary being two sides of the same coin,” Kimble said. “These spellers will be excited at the opportunity to show off their vocabulary knowledge through competition.”
Vocabulary has been a regular part of the bee during its 87-year history, but it’s always been the spellers asking for the definition and getting the answer in order to help them spell the word.
Now the tables will be turned, with the spellers taking a computer test that looks like something from the SAT. A sample question provided by the Spelling Bee on Tuesday reads as follows:
“Something described as refulgent is: a) tending to move toward one point, b) demanding immediate action, c) rising from an inferior state, d) giving out a bright light.”
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article courtesy of BlackAmericaWeb.com
