1.0.1.   All schoolchildren from Grade 4 to Grade 11 (no except Grades 7, 9 and 12) are eligible to participate.

1.0.2.  Although the learner must be registered at any school in the Republic of Zambia whether government, grant-aided or private.

1.0.3.  Participants at provincial and national do not need to come from the same school.

1.0.4.  Learners must be registered within the scheduled date and time on a prescribed form to be eligible for participation.

1.1.1.  Bumble bee: Grade 4 – 6 (7 – 9 years old)

1.1.2.  Honey bee: Grade 8s   (11-13 years old)

1.1.3.  Melitid bee: Grade 10 – 11 (14-16 years old)

1.2.1.  Competitions will be held on dates and times scheduled by the school, district, provincial and or national executive committees.

1.3.1.  The best two spellers in each category shall be declared winners and will proceed to the next level.

1.3.2.  The 2 national winners will represent the country at the Africa Spelling Bee competitions.

1.4.1.  Occasionally, there will be a word pool list on the LATAZ website which will form the basis of the competition except in an elimination round to determine a winner when the judges have the discretion to use words that do not fall within the given word list.

1.4.2.  The pool list will be submitted by the provinces and compiled by NEC. To download the Primary Bee list click here and the secondary list here. 

1.5.1.   There will be 4 adjudicators on the judging panel.

1.5.1.1.          Chief judge: facilitates the spelling bee and announces the final decision.

1.5.1.2.          Laptop judge: captures the word spelt as is by the participant.

1.5.1.3.           Pronouncer: pronounces the word as per the spelling bee standards

1.5.1.4.          Timekeeper: supports the head judge in keeping a speller within the time limits provided

1.5.2.  All four judges share responsibility for making decisions.

1.5.3.  Spelling/Bee Master – shall coordinate the competition by ensuring spellers, materials and personnel are in place before the start of the bee. He/she will signal the start and end of the bee.

1.6.1.  LATAZ spelling bee competition will be held in four phases.

1.6.1.1.          The first phase is a School spelling bee contest conducted as either inter-class or inter-house. They can either be a written or oral contest.

1.6.1.2.          The second phase is a zonal/district spelling bee contest (at an allocated venue at the district level)

1.6.1.3.          The third phase is an oral spelling bee contest (on stage at the provincial level)

1.6.1.4.          The fourth phase is an oral spelling bee contest (on the stage at the national level)

1.7.1.  For more information on how to host an internal spelling bee kindly read the rules and instructions below.

1.7.2.  For a visual aid on how a spelling bee is run, we suggest that you watch the movie Akeelah and the Bee.

1.8.1.  Teachers will distribute spelling lists to learners.

1.8.2.  Teachers will give adequate study time and announce at least 1 week in advance the date of the classroom spelling bee.

1.8.3.  Round 1

1.8.3.1.          Teachers will give a written spelling test of 20 words chosen randomly from their own study list.

1.8.3.2.          Teachers may choose the system for selecting words but must announce the method being used to the learners.

1.8.3.3.          The same method will be used for the second round.

1.8.3.4.          Learners spelling 80% of the words correctly will enter the second round.

1.8.4.   Round 2

1.8.4.1.          Those who passed the first round will compete in an oral spell-off.

1.8.4.2.          The teacher will randomly choose words from their own study list for each of the remaining spellers.

1.8.4.3.          Each speller receives their own word and must spell it aloud first repeating the word, spelling the word, and then repeating the word when finished spelling.

1.8.4.4.          Teachers may allow learners to backtrack and re-spell a word provided they have not completed the process. This is not allowed in the main competitions; learners will be disqualified.

1.8.4.5.          Misspelt words will not be spelt by the next speller.

1.8.4.6.          Those who spell correctly continue competing but those who misspell are out of the competition.

1.8.4.7.          When there are only 2 competitors remaining and one misspells a word, the other competitor must correctly spell the same word in addition to the next word in order to be declared the winner.

1.8.5.  Each school has the discretion to determine the number of learners that they will register in the Spelling Bee competition. Learners that don’t make this selection are allowed to enter as individuals.

1.9.1.  Every learner will be given a randomly chosen numbered card during the registration process. This card is to be worn at all times. It must be visible and will determine the order in which learners compete in each category. They will also be used for learner identification by the judging panel.

1.9.2.  There are no practice rounds in the competition.

1.9.3.  Only judges, pronouncers and specified volunteers are allowed onto the stage.

1.9.4.  No spectators or videographers/photographers other than The Spelling Bee representatives are permitted on stage.

1.9.5.  Spectators are however permitted to observe the spelling bee competition provided that they conduct themselves in an orderly manner.

1.10.1.  The standard spelling of words that will be used is in line with UK English. E.g., colour and not color.

1.10.2.  The official spelling bee dictionary is the Oxford Dictionary.

1.10.3.  Only the spelling as provided in the word book will be accepted as correct. No alternative spelling will enable the participant to continue in the competition.

1.10.4.  Some words in the word book may not appear directly in the dictionary; plurals; possessives etc. acceptable rules for these words will apply. e.g., word is excessively.

1.10.5.  The definition will be given for excessive, and the participant told the word to be spelt is the adverb, excessively.

1.10.6.  Words shall be pronounced according to the diacritical markings in the dictionary, from which the pronouncer shall select the definition or definitions.

1.10.7.  The pronouncer may give a fuller explanation of the meaning of the word to supplement the dictionary definition quoted.

1.10.8.  The pronouncer may also give the part of speech, etymology and alternative pronunciation if requested.

1.11.1.  The pronouncer will pronounce the word twice.

1.11.2.  The learner will then pronounce the word, spell the word, and pronounce the word again.

1.11.3.  The learner may ask for a definition, sentence, etymology and part of speech and alternative pronunciation for the given word.

1.11.4.  The head judge will have the responsibility of stopping the learner if he/she fails to pronounce the word or if the learner pronounces the word incorrectly.

1.11.5.  Say—Spell—Say rule. once the word is clarified, the contestant should ‘Say it first’, then ‘Spell it’ and ‘Say it again’.  E.g., the word TOP Contestant 02. TOP’’, T-O-P, ‘TOP’

1.11.6.  Double vowels or consonants in certain words should be spelt individually. E.g.  SPEED – must be spelt as S-P-E-E-D, not S-P double E– D.

1.11.7.  Pronouncing the word before and after is not mandatory but it is strongly encouraged.

1.12.1.  Having started to spell a word, a learner may stop and start over, retracting the spelling from the beginning. However, in the retracting, there can be no change of letters and their sequence from those first pronounced.

1.12.2.  If any letters and/or their sequence are changed in the respelling, the speller will be disqualified.

1.13.1.  When a participant misspells a word, he/she immediately drops out of the contest. The next word is given to the next participant.

1.13.2.  Top 3 spellers will be announced as finalists of the Spelling Bee.

1.13.3.  The participant is encouraged to:

1.13.3.1.       Pronounce the word before spelling. This is to ensure that the learner has heard the correct word.

1.13.3.2.       Look at the Pronouncer when spelling the word.

1.13.3.3.       Spell the word orally. Participants will not be allowed to write the word before spelling it.

1.13.3.4.       Pronounce the word again after the word is spelt.

1.13.3.5.       Speak clearly and loudly. The officials’ decision is final in determining the correctness of the spelling, which may be misunderstood if not spoken clearly.

1.13.3.6.       The participant may ask for any pronunciation, definition, or sentence to be repeated for clarification before spelling. If a participant takes undue advantage of this rule, the Pronouncer/Head Judge will advise him/her accordingly.

1.14.1.  The participant shall have 30 seconds from the time he/she pronounces the word until he/she must begin spelling the word.

1.14.2.  If the participant is unable to start spelling, at the end of the 30-second period, he/she shall be reminded by the Pronouncer, who will be informed by the Timekeeper.

1.14.3.  Once the participant begins spelling the word, he/she will have 50 seconds to complete the spelling of the word.

1.14.4.  A participant will be disqualified if he/she does not follow the above-listed timing rules.

1.15.1.  It is the responsibility of the participant to pose any question relating to the spelling of the word by requesting permission to approach the judges only when it is their turn in the contest. This should not happen when another participant has already been given a word to spell. All the judges have access to the word list, the official dictionary, the rules of The Spelling Bee and the Spelling Bee record sheet.

1.15.2.  If the challenge cannot be resolved from one of the above resources, the Head Judge will call for a brief time-out to confer with the other judges.

1.15.3.  The judges’ decision shall be final and no appeal or confrontation or argument is entertained.

1.15.4.  In any circumstances, no one from the audience should approach the judges’ panel. Should there be any query from an audience member there will be a dedicated volunteer who is equipped to answer queries. This person will be made known at the beginning of the competition.

1.16.1.  No talking will be allowed either among the participants or among the audience. This will distract participants and judges.

1.16.2.  No assistance from the audience is to be given to any participant. If a participant receives assistance from anyone in the audience, he/she will be disqualified. We expect the highest dignity and respect from all participants and audience members.

1.16.3.  We request the audience to remain seated all the time when the Spelling Bee is in progress. We will have breaks between the competition, and it is expected that participants and audience members use those breaks. This will help participants to have better focus and improve their winning chances.

1.17.1.  The Judges will disqualify a Speller who:

1.17.1.1.       refuses a request to start spelling.

1.17.1.2.       does not approach the microphone when it is time to receive the word.

1.17.1.3.       engages in misconduct; interferes with other Spellers or disrupts the proceedings.

1.17.1.4.       in the process of retracting a spelling, alters the letters or sequence of letters from those first uttered; and

1.17.1.5.       in the process of spelling, utters unintelligible or nonsense sounds.

1.17.2.  The judges’ decision to disqualify a Speller is final and cannot be disputed.

1.17.3.  Speller activities that do not merit disqualification:

1.17.4.  The Judges may not disqualify a Speller for the following reasons:

1.17.4.1.       failing to pronounce the word either before or after spelling it.

1.17.4.2.       for asking a question; and

1.17.4.3.       for noting or failing to note the capitalisation of a word or the presence of a pronunciation mark.

1.17.5. Participant Misunderstandings

1.17.5.1.       The Judges may participate in the exchange of information between the Speller and the Pronouncer if they feel that clarification is needed. They will listen attentively to the Speller’s pronunciation of the word and if they sense that the Speller has misunderstood the word, the Adjudicators work with the Speller and Pronouncer until they are satisfied that reasonable attempts have been made to assist the Speller in understanding the word within the time constraints; and whilst the Judges are responsible for attempting to detect a Speller’s misunderstanding until a spelling error has been made, they are not responsible for the Speller’s misunderstanding.

1.17.6. Alternate Pronunciations

1.17.6.1.       When presented with requests from a Speller for alternate pronunciations, the Pronouncer checks for alternate pronunciations in the Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

1.17.7. Pronouncer Errors

1.17.7.1.       The Judges compare the Pronouncer’s pronunciation with the pronunciation markings in the word book. If the Judges feel that the Pronouncer’s pronunciation does not match the pronunciation specified in the pronunciation markings, they will direct the Pronouncer to correct the error as soon as it is detected.

1.17.8. Misunderstanding of the word

1.17.9.  The Speller is responsible for any misunderstanding of the word unless:

1.17.9.1.       the Pronouncer never provided a correct pronunciation.

1.17.9.2.       the Pronouncer provided incorrect information regarding the definition, part of speech, or language of origin; and

1.17.9.3.       Speller correctly spelled a homonym (word with a different spelling but same sound. e.g. blue and blew) of the word and the Pronouncer failed to either offer a definition or distinguish the homonyms.

1.18.1.   each Speller is assigned a number.

1.18.2.  at the start of the competition, Spellers sit in rows of chairs in sequential order. This sequence will change with eliminations.

1.18.2.1.       when the first Speller leaves their seat to go and spell, Spellers move down one place to occupy the seat that has been vacated; and

1.18.2.2.       after a Speller spells a word, they move to the end of the line of chairs and take a seat.

1.19.1.  may request the Pronouncer to provide a definition, sentence, part of speech, language(s) of origin and alternate pronunciation(s).

1.19.2.  may ask if the dictionary lists a specific root word as the root of the word to be spelled; and must specify a pronunciation of the root (not a spelling), its language and its definition. The Pronouncer will grant all such requests as long as they are in accordance with time constraints.

1.19.3.  should make an effort to face the Judges and pronounce the word for the Adjudicators before spelling it and after spelling it.

1.19.4.  should make an effort to utter each letter distinctly and with sufficient volume to be understood by the Adjudicators.

1.19.5.  if they choose, ask the Pronouncer to say the word again, define it, use it in a sentence, provide the part of speech, provide the language(s) of origin and/or provide an alternate pronunciation/s. The Speller may ask root word questions that meet the specifications; and

1.19.6.  when, the Speller spells their word incorrectly, give their number to the Judges and return to their seat. The Speller does not leave the classroom or stage until asked to do so.

1.20.1.  for all Rounds except the Elimination Round, all Spellers who have not been eliminated from the competition will spell only one word in each Round.

1.20.2.  if a Speller spells a word incorrectly, before they leave the podium they must give their number to the Judges, who will cross their name off the list.

The Speller returns to his/her seat on stage. They will only leave the stage during the break after the Round ends.

1.20.3.  after each Round, there is a 2-minute break and an acknowledgement of the

1.21.1.  Spellers who were eliminated are then asked to leave the stage, and sit in their designated area;

1.21.2.  there are 20 rounds in the normal competition.

1.21.3.  the Elimination Round includes words the Spellers may not have studied from the Spelling Bee Word Book but would likely have encountered in reading. The premise is not to promote learning to spell by rote, but foster learners’ ability to break down a word into syllables and use logic to spell.

1.21.4.  Spellers who have not been eliminated in the previous Rounds compete in the

1.22.1.  The Elimination Round:

1.22.1.1.       all Spellers must leave the room during the Elimination Round. They re-enter one at a time and are given the same word to spell.

1.22.1.2.       in the Elimination Round, each word is a Round.

1.22.1.3.       Elimination Rounds continue until there is a winner; and

1.22.1.4.       all Spellers eliminated in the same Round are tied for the same place.

1.22.2.  Elimination Round process

1.22.2.1.       all Spellers leave the stage and wait in an area where they will not be able to hear the proceedings.

1.22.2.2.       the first Speller, whose turn it is to spell, enters the competition area and is given a word to spell from the “Elimination Round” List.

1.22.2.3.       if she/he spells the word correctly, they take the first seat onstage. If they are incorrect, they are eliminated. The Speller must remove their number, give it to the Judges, and leave the stage.

1.22.2.4.       if the previous Speller misspelled the word, the next Speller in line receives the same word that was misspelled; and

1.22.2.5.       a new word is given only when the next round begins.

1.23.1.  At the beginning of any round in which either two or three Spellers remain, the Pronouncer will move to the championship section of the word list; and if a champion does not emerge in the course of administering these final 20 words, the remaining Spellers will be declared co-champions.