Competition challenges kids to learn ‘one of the most difficult languages’
The Prime Minister has challenged kids across the country to a spelling bee, encouraging students from Years 3 to 8 to become junior wordsmiths.
Registrations are now open for the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee, which is split into three rounds, beginning with an in-school competition, followed by state and territory finals and a national final.
National winners of the green, orange and red categories, which sort students into skill levels, will be awarded a return trip to Canberra to meet the Prime Minister, an iPad and a $250 HarperCollins book pack.
Hugh Jackman’s former acting coach and pronouncer on The Great Australian Spelling Bee Chris Edmund is greatly supportive of the “fantastic adventure”.
“I think it’s a very important thing; it’s all to do with literacy and reading and the pleasure in reading.”
Edmund acknowledged confusing rules can make English “one of the most difficult languages” to learn but suggested parents take an active role in reading with their children to make them passionate about words.
“Being very accurate about those things, I think, can be very crucial for young people’s development.”
Children can be enrolled to the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee here.
Click PLAY below to hear the full interview
Image: Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee