ISC-Erbil Students Compete in Spelling and Math
Students of the International School of Choueifat - Erbil were able to highlight their skills in English and math in a spelling bee and a Mental Math competition. Held at the school on June 2, 2009, the spelling bee, the first in the school's history, saw seven finalists showcasing their talents in the presence of family and friends.
The SABIS® English program is an essential component that determines future learning and career opportunities and the spelling bee is only one of many ways to help students to improve English proficiency, which is the foundation needed to progress in all academic subjects. Prior to the spelling bee, students from grades 4-7 competed in class and then in a further round in order to determine the finalists. The final spelling bee competition was both fun and educational for competitors and spectators alike. Words had been chosen from the curriculum, giving the students an opportunity to review from the past year and prepare for the coming one.
For the Mental Math competition, the qualification rounds started in each math section and were conducted by individual math teachers for 2 minutes daily over a period of two weeks. The top three students from each grade were selected and then divided into four levels according to their ages. Further qualification rounds were held between students of each grade level during lunch breaks with other students participating as spectators and lending their encouragement.
In the end, three students from each grade level qualified for the final mental math competition, which was held on June 2, 2009, and attended by Mr. Carl Bistany, SABIS® President, and a large number of friends and family members.
Students impressed the audience with their performance, especially in view of the level of difficulty of the questions, which were prepared by the Math Head of Department 30 minutes prior to the competition.
At the end of both competitions, certificates were handed to the winning students.
These two competitions were held as part of SABIS®'s focus on English and mathematics as two core subjects. A solid understanding of mathematics and mastery of the English language are major factors in preparing students for college and future success.
