Context
Today we are in an environment where English, recognized as being of great importance, is not sufficiently promoted. The methods of teaching the English language in high schools and colleges are not always likely to further develop the specific skills and passion of learners. It is for this reason that we expressed the wish to initiate an English spelling competition in order to bring young learners to discover new common words, to master their spellings and pronunciations. Spelling bee Challenge is not just an organized competition to win prizes. This is a great opportunity to help all participants to better master English through learning the alphabet, spelling skills, and speaking in English to spell every word in front of a diverse audience.
Objective of the activity
• Promote the English language in the Mono department.
Implementation of the activity
Initially, the English teachers of fifteen (15) high schools and colleges of the municipalities of Lokossa and Athiémé were informed and interviewed on the competition project. Then, the five (05) best spellers from each establishment were selected on the basis of criteria defined by their teachers. These criteria include the average obtained in English at the end of the first semester. Fifteen finalists were thus selected in Athiémé (three establishments) and sixty others in Lokossa (13 establishments).
The next stage is dedicated to the big municipal finals. Taking place respectively on March 9 in the conference room of CAEB / Lokossa and on March 20 at the Catholic College of Athiémé, the finals of Lokossa and Athiémé allowed to identify the 35 best participants (10 in Athiémé and 25 in Lokossa) for the departmental grand finale.
This grand final therefore kept all its promises on March 23, 2019 in the CAEB conference room in Lokossa and brought together the thirty-five (35) finalists including their teachers, relatives and friends. After four hours of clockwork and several successive passages, it is candidate n ° 19 Mlle AGASSOUSSI Pauline, a student in the third class at CEG 1 Agamè who was crowned champion of this first edition of the Spelling Bee Challenge.
Funding and partner
For an initial budget of 830,000 F CFA, the cost of carrying out this project amounts to 58,700 F CFA. Two main partners have supported us. It is CAEB / Lokossa which made its conference room available to us for the municipal final and the departmental grand final. Then the American Corner of the University of Abomey-Calavi which made available to us four books in the English language. The financial charges were covered by the organization which received financial assistance of 10,000 CFA francs from Mr. Roland Hounsou.
Results obtained and quantified impact
• 57 students from 15 high schools and colleges in the municipalities of Lokossa and Athiémé improved their levels in English spelling;
• 57 students from 15 high schools and colleges in the municipalities of Lokossa and Athiémé managed to speak in public and express themselves in English.
Difficulties encountered and solution approaches
The major difficulty of this project was the mobilization of financial resources for the proper organization of the different stages of the competition. Besides our two technical partners, no sponsor finally agreed to accompany us. For the most part, they remained on their good intentions. But the project management team adapted and implemented the project by adjusting the budget.
