English Language Project / Spelling Bee Contest

English

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROJECT / SPELLING BEE CONTEST

1. PREMISE

One of the skills that is more difficult to develop is Speaking, students are very self-conscious and shy, even when speaking in their native Spanish. A contest like this will allow them to practice doing it in public, even though these would be short interventions it will place them in front of their class and judges.

One of the requirements for communication in any language is to be able to use a broad range of vocabulary, to be able to explain yourself even when you do not know the exact word, so, this list of 450 words will place them in front of a new challenge, knowing how to write and pronounce these words correctly and to learn their meaning.

By working on this project the students will not only practice skills such as reading and writing, pronunciation, spelling rules; they will practice speaking and listening and other indirect skills such as research skills, interaction with coaches, other students and teachers.

2. OBJECTIVE

Generate the possibility of working in a different and more interactive project which will allow the students to get out of the regular class structure, practice the skill of Speaking and at the same time learn spelling rules and improve writing when they have to use the words with its correct meaning in sentences.

3. GOAL

Structure a school contest that can be a symbol of English learning in the UEAV, this contest can become in a longer term a contest where you could invite other schools to participate, this with no doubt will improve student´s self-assurance and self-esteem. For now this will be a Cycle Project.

4. STUDENTS PARTICIPATION

They will have to be active participants in the contest, although they have the word list and its meanings, they will have to look up in several links for the correct pronunciation of the words and the correct use and spelling of the word when writing. For this purpose, they will receive written data but they will have to look for further sources of information.

They have received training in computer programs such as word, navigating and looking up in the internet for information such as watching at Spelling Bee Contests videos, spelling tutorials and worksheets, all of these resources can be used for the project.

5. ROLES

Pronouncer: The role of the pronouncer is to correctly pronounce the word for each participant.

In case the student requests it, the Pronouncer will be the one to give the definition and a sentence if it is also requested.

Judges: Their role is to uphold the rules and determine whether or not words are spelled correctly

or vocabulary items are answered correctly. They also render final decisions on appeals.

Speller: The participant that spells the words. In a spelling round, the speller makes an effort to face the judges and pronounce the word for the judges before spelling it and after spelling it. The speller while facing the judges makes an effort to utter each letter distinctly and with sufficient volume to be understood by the judges. The speller may ask the pronouncer to say the word again, define it, use it in a sentence and/or provide an alternate pronunciation or pronunciations.

5. EVALUATION OF THE CONTEST

This contest will be evaluated according to the General Rules of the contest that are detailed below. The judges will be UEAV English Teachers.

During the Preliminary Round the judge will be the course´s English Teacher, afterwards, during the semifinals and final rounds there will be a team of a pronouncer and one or two judges when possible.

Previous to the contest there will be the “Pet Symbol” contest, drawings of bees will be placed for choosing the symbol of the contest, this is also detailed below.

CONTEST GENERAL ORGANIZATION

* Participants:

Students from First and Second BGU.

* Coordination:

English Teacher from these courses.

* Pronouncers and Judges:

English teachers: Mónica Vásquez, Georgia Egas, Paola Morales, Ximena Medina, Silvia Palacios and Maria A. Espinosa.

* Format:

There will be three rounds:

Preliminary Round, Semifinals and Finals.

* General Rules

1. Students will receive a list of words and meanings contained in it.

The first words are basic but will give them the sense of achievement they need to continue with more difficult words.

The list must be printed by each student and only the first 100 words will be used in the preliminary round.

1. We will work by weeks, revising and practicing the words in sentences and pronunciation, one page per week. Once we have revised the first hundred words, we will start the Preliminary Round.

2. The preliminary round will take place the day in which the class has two straight hours and in alphabetical