1. General Guidelines

• It is the responsibility of the parent(s)/guardian(s) to read and explain the Spelling Bee rules to their child.

• For any questions or clarification, please email: info@studentscholarscentre.com

• Before the contest begins, officials will highlight key rules.

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2. Authority and Judging

• The Pronouncer, Judges, and other officials have the final say in all contest matters.

• An independent arbiter will be present to handle any protests during the contest. The arbiter's decision is final.

• All questions or protests must be brought up immediately (before the start of the next round).
  No protests will be entertained after the contest ends.

• Judges will not entertain comments, messages, or discussions before or during the contest.

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3. Eligibility and Format

• Open to students in Grades 2 to 5.

• The competition will be conducted orally – no pens, pencils, or paper are allowed.

• All words will be taken from official lists compiled using the Canadian Oxford English Dictionary (Second Edition). This is the final authority for spelling.

 

4. Contest Procedures

Spelling Protocol:

• Contestants must:

  • Repeat the word before spelling.

  • Spell the word out loud.

  • Repeat the word after spelling.

• Spellers must indicate capital letters (e.g., "Capital O-n-t-a-r-i-o").
  Punctuation marks (apostrophes, hyphens, etc.) do not need to be stated.

Time Limit:

• Each contestant has 1 minute to spell their word.

• Timing starts when the pronouncer first says the word.

• A countdown timer will be visible to the speller.

• No communication will occur in the last 30 seconds.

• Failure to spell the word within the time limit will result in disqualification.

During Spelling:

• Contestants may not ask for the word to be repeated, defined, or used in a sentence once they begin spelling.

• Spellers may retrace their spelling only if the letters and their order remain unchanged.

• Any alteration in the retracing will result in elimination.

• Uttering unintelligible or gibberish sounds will lead to disqualification.

• If a contestant spells a word incorrectly without first repeating it, they will be eliminated.

 

5. Special Word Rules

• If a word is a homophone, the pronouncer will automatically provide a definition and an example sentence before the speller starts.

• If a word has multiple correct spellings, only the one listed in the Canadian Oxford English Dictionary will be accepted.

• If a word is unclear, the contestant must ask for it to be repeated, defined, or used in a sentence before beginning to spell.

 

6. Elimination and Rounds

• The competition proceeds in rounds.

• If a student spells the word correctly, they return to their seat.

• If a student spells the word incorrectly, they leave the stage.

• The next word is then given to the next contestant.

If all contestants in a round misspell the same word:

• All contestants stay in the competition.

If only one contestant spells correctly in a round:

• That contestant proceeds to the next round.

• All others go into an elimination round to determine who continues.

Sub-Elimination Rule (Only for First 3 Rounds):

• If more than half the contestants are eliminated in a round, the eliminated students enter a sub-elimination round.

• This gives them a chance to re-enter the competition.

• In rounds with an odd number of contestants, the lower half is considered (e.g., in 13 students, if 6 or more are eliminated, sub-elimination applies).

Grade 2 Exception:

• No eliminations during the first two rounds.

• From Round 3 onward, normal elimination rules apply.

 

7. Final Two Contestants

• If one contestant misspells a word, the second contestant must:

  1. Spell the same word correctly.

  2. Then spell an additional word correctly to win.

• If the second contestant misspells the second word, both continue until one spells two consecutive words correctly.

 

8. Special Considerations

Washroom Breaks:

• No breaks are allowed during the contest.

• Leaving the sitting area will result in disqualification.

• Medical exemptions must be supported with a doctor’s note submitted at least 7 days in advance.

Electronic Devices:

• No electronic devices (including watches) are permitted.

• Any unauthorized device will result in elimination.

• If a child uses a hearing aid, a doctor’s note must be sent to info@ypam.ca at least 7 days prior to the contest.

 

9. Disqualification Grounds

Judges may disqualify contestants for:

1. Failing to approach the microphone when called (unless excused for emergency).

2. Missing two consecutive rounds (emergency-based).

3. Being disruptive or disrespectful.

4. Changing letter order during retracing.

5. Producing unintelligible or irrelevant sounds during spelling.

 

For any questions or concerns, please reach out to: info@studentscholarscentre.com

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We wish all contestants the best of luck!