Greenpoint Primary School has emerged as a formidable force in the spelling arena, securing a spot in the district level of the “Words Open Worlds” competition.
GREENPOINT Primary School learners have proven to be top contenders after they have made it through to the district level of the “Words Open Worlds” (WOW) spelling competition.
The WOW spelling competition was launched in an attempt to foster a love for literature and encourage reading comprehension among Grade 4 learners. Recent research revealed that a majority of learners in this age group in the country were struggling to read for comprehension
A Grade 4 teacher and spelling coach at Greenpoint Primary, Anzelle Vries, said her learners have over the years achieved great results in the competition.
“We have been participating in the WOW each year. This year we participated in the English category of the competition. In the past, we only participated in the Afrikaans category,” said Vries.
“Last year things got really exciting for our school as our learners managed to make it through the district competition in Kimberley and then proceeded to the provincial competition, which takes place in Upington. At the provincials, learners have to compete against schools from across the Northern Cape, and they get to represent the Province in the national competition should they be crowned winners in the provincial competition. The national competition is held in Stellenbosch.
“Last year we had two learners, one from Grade 3 and another from Grade 4, who made it to nationals and our Grade 4 contender claimed 11th place in the national competition. That was an absolute win for us as a school. The two learners who made it to nationals are our top competitors at the school. That have spurred on many other children to participate in the competition.”
Vries said the competition has opened a world of possibilities for the learners.
“The WOW is a tough competition. Learners have to spell words that are above their vocabulary. During training times, I challenge my learners with words that are suitable for Grade 8 or Grade 9 and even Grade 10 learners. They have met the challenge and have even exceeded my expectations.
“One does not know what to expect when the learners compete in the nationals and the words the Grade 4 learners have to spell are even from a Grade 12 vocabulary. One cannot focus on training the learners only on words for the Grade 4 vocabulary.”
She expressed her joy that her learners outshone their competitors.
“We competed against about 10 schools. Our learners will now have to face competitors in the France Baard District competition. I have no doubt that my learners will make it through to the provincial competition in Upington and to nationals in Stellenbosch. We have had four learners that took the top five positions in this round and two of them took the first position in their respective categories. I have no doubt that the learners will give it their all in the district competition,” she said with a smile.
Vries added that, beyond the gleaming medals awarded to victorious learners, some of her team members have acquired invaluable confidence through their participation in the competition.
“Some of our learners had a low self-image about themselves before they entered the competition. This competition has pushed them to get out of their shells and to speak as well as stand with confidence. Some also gained experience and got to see other parts of Kimberley, the province and the country.
“The department needs to host more competitions like this as it not only boosts the intellect of learners but can also unlock leadership qualities and confidence in learners. The children who compete in these competitions have a drive to succeed in their academics.
“Some of our learners felt as though there were certain career fields they were unable to achieve due to their background and the environment they are raised in. However, through these competitions, our leavers have realised that they can achieve even greater academic results than the children who might come from well-off circumstances,” Vries concluded.
