Spelling Bee
Prerequisites for Participation:
Rules:
The words to be used have been selected from the current editions of Deutsch aktuell 1 and 2 and Komm mit! 1 and 2. The complete list of words for the spelling bee can be found here:
Prerequisites for Participation:
- Open to students in German 1 and 2 only
- No heritage speakers
- Up to 5 students per school.
Rules:
The words to be used have been selected from the current editions of Deutsch aktuell 1 and 2 and Komm mit! 1 and 2. The complete list of words for the spelling bee can be found here:
spelling_bee_word_list.pdf |
Format:
- Spelling Bee is played over three rounds, corresponding to the three levels of difficulty. The first (and easiest) round will be written. All participants will write down words read out by the judges. The judges should pronounce each word twice in German before giving students adequate time to write out the word. Judges should alternate, so that students hear different speakers.
- All students having fewer than five mistakes in round 1 will be allowed to continue to the second round. In this round each student will have the opportunity to spell one word and if they succeed, they move on to round 3. The judges will alternate selecting a word at random from the round 2 list and pronouncing it in German two times. The contestant will repeat the word, and spell it using GERMAN spelling and pronunciation (this is a change from the past), and say the word again. The difference between a spoken "e" and " ä" may be signified visually with the fingers. Students should say "ess-zett" to signify " ß." Once a word has been spelled and repeated, no corrections may be made. Any mistakes, including pronunciation mistakes, eliminate the candidate. Once a word has been missed, it will be passed to the next candidate. If it is missed three times in a row, the word will be relegated to the round 3 list. Students need not signify upper or lower case spelling for nouns.
- Once all students have had a chance to do a "round 2 word," the remaining students, who were able to spell their word correctly, will proceed to round 3. During this last round a word will be passed on until it is spelled correctly. (Only after no one gets it right will a new word be drawn). When the number of students who have correctly spelled all of the words given to them is reduced to two, the elimination procedure changes. At that point, when Student A misses a word, Student B will be given an opportunity to spell the same word. If Student B spells that word correctly, plus the next word from the hat, then Student B will be declared the champion. If Student A misses a word and Student B, after correcting the error, misses the new word, then the missed new word shall be referred to Student A. If Student A then succeeds in correcting the error and gets the next word right, then Student A will be declared the champion. If both students miss the same word, both shall continue in the competition, and the one who first missed the word shall be given a new one. This procedure continues until one of the students is able to correct the other student and also spell the next word correctly. That student will be declared the champion.