Spelling Bee Software: How it May Actually Hurt Your Chances of Winning

When it comes to winning spelling bees, it seems like everyone has tips. Read the dictionary. Put the words on tape and listen to them while you sleep. Play Scrabble a lot. Unfortunately, most of these so-called spelling bee tips are either ineffective or inefficient. If you had years to practice, reading the dictionary might work. If you played Scrabble with a circle of PhD-level friends, it might help.

A few of your more tech-savvy friends might suggest that you get a spelling bee software. On the surface, this sounds like a great idea. After all, spelling bee software is designed with your specific needs in mind. Mom and dad won't get tired of reading off words they can't pronounce, you'll get the chance to practice as long as you want, and it seems like in the end, everyone will win.

Not so fast, though. Let's think about how most spelling bee software packages work. You load up the program on your computer and then it takes you through a long series of words. Some of the better software packages, like Spelling Made Simple, will allow you to add in your own lists of words or download lists from their website. You can choose to have the word shown, or to use audio only.

Although the audio-only option is the best way to use a spelling bee software, it's not ideal. What you really need is someone that can give you everything you would get in a spelling bee. In a bee, you can ask for part of speech, language of origin, and an example of usage. Spelling bee software does not typically do this.

Another downside of spelling bee software is that you typically have to stay close to the screen to select "next" to go through your word list. This is a far cry from the actual spelling bee experience, where you will be standing on a stage and spelling the word out loud. It's vital to make your practice sessions as similar as the real thing if you want your learning to stick.

My suggestion is that you skip expensive spelling bee software and instead focus on the basics. Spend as much time as possible studying word origins and roots. Latin and Greek are especially important, but it's a good idea to get familiar with as many word roots and prefixes as possible.

You should also download the word lists from the Scripps' website. These lists contain the vast majority of all words ever used in national spelling bees, so if you can learn these, you'll be almost unstoppable. There's no sense in wasting time with the dictionary when you can learn much more of what you'll be asked by using word lists and roots.

Finally, you should attempt to get in at least one practice session in a setting like the auditorium or classroom where you will be competing. This isn't always possible, but even a pretend bee in front of a few family members or friends can be extremely helpful in getting used to the attention and stress of a real competition.

None of these steps should cost you anything other than time, and they'll definitely help you get ahead of your competition. While other people are wasting time with software and the dictionary, you'll be practicing in the most affordable and effective way possible.