6 Best Advanced Spelling Bee Guides For Middle School That Coaches Use

Your child just won the school spelling bee, and after the initial excitement, a new question pops up: "What’s next?" Suddenly, you’re looking at regional competitions and a world of preparation that seems overwhelming. Investing in the right study guides can feel like a shot in the dark, but it’s the single most important step in turning a fun school activity into a serious, skill-building pursuit.

Mastering Word Origins with Etymology Resources

Has your middle schooler moved beyond simply memorizing words? Are they starting to ask why a word is spelled a certain way? This is a huge developmental leap and the perfect time to introduce etymology—the study of word origins.

Understanding Greek, Latin, French, and German roots is the secret weapon of elite spellers. It transforms spelling from a memory game into a puzzle they can solve on stage, even with a word they’ve never seen before. Instead of memorizing 10,000 individual words, they learn a few hundred roots that unlock the logic behind 100,000 words. This shift from rote learning to analytical thinking is a powerful cognitive skill that serves them well beyond the bee.

For a speller just entering this stage, you don’t need the most expensive, competition-focused guide. Start with a foundational book on roots or a general etymology workbook. The goal is to build the concept first. Once they are hooked on cracking the code behind words, you can then invest in more specialized, bee-centric etymology lists.

Scripps’ Words of the Champions: The Core List

If your child is competing in a bee that leads to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, this is your starting line. The "Words of the Champions" list is the official study guide provided by the organization. Think of it as the required textbook for the class.

This resource is brilliant because it’s tiered, starting with words for the school-level bee and progressing all the way to lists for regional championships. This structure is perfect for a middle schooler’s development. It allows them to build confidence with early wins while providing a clear path forward. It respects their current skill level while showing them exactly what they need to learn to advance.

Don’t skip this. Even if your speller is advanced, a thorough review of the entire list is essential. Coaches know that the winning word at a district bee is just as likely to come from the "easy" section as the "hard" one. This is the non-negotiable foundation of any study plan.

Hexco’s Verbomania for Difficult Root Words

Is your speller consistently acing the official Scripps lists? Are they ready for a much bigger challenge? When you see that your child’s passion and commitment are deep, it might be time to look at materials from specialized companies like Hexco Academic.

Hexco’s "Verbomania" is a classic resource used by serious competitors for a reason. It’s a deep dive into the difficult roots and combining forms that make up the most challenging words in the dictionary. This is not a starting point; it’s an accelerator for a speller who has already mastered the fundamentals of etymology and is now preparing for high-level regional or national competition.

This is a significant investment in both time and money. Before purchasing, have a frank conversation with your child about their goals. If they are truly driven to compete at the highest levels, Verbomania provides the challenging material they need to stay engaged and push their boundaries. It’s a tool for the dedicated athlete, not the casual hobbyist.

Webster’s Third Unabridged: The Final Authority

At some point in your bee journey, you’ll hear a judge say, "We will now consult the dictionary." The dictionary they are consulting is Merriam-Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. For serious competitors, this book is the final word on spelling, pronunciation, and etymology.

Having access to the official source is critical for advanced spellers. It allows them to study words in their original context, understand the detailed pronunciation guides, and see alternate spellings. Knowing how to use this resource is a skill in itself.

However, the physical book is enormous and expensive. For most families, an annual subscription to the online Merriam-Webster Unabridged dictionary is a far more practical and affordable choice. It provides the same information in a searchable, accessible format. The key is ensuring your speller is using the official source, not just a standard collegiate dictionary or a free online version. The full, unabridged version is what matters for competition.

SpellPundit for Digital and Audio Quizzing

Is your child tired of staring at paper lists and making flashcards? Do they learn better by listening and doing? A digital resource like SpellPundit can be a game-changer for keeping study sessions fresh and effective.

Spelling bees are an auditory event. Spellers must be able to hear a word, process it, and spell it back. Audio-based quizzing tools are invaluable for practicing this specific skill. They simulate the experience of a real bee, helping your child manage the pressure of hearing words pronounced by different voices and with slight variations in accent.

These platforms often include written and multiple-choice tests, progress tracking, and lists curated from a variety of sources. This is an excellent supplement to traditional book study, especially for tech-savvy middle schoolers who thrive on interactive learning. It’s a great way to use screen time for productive, focused practice that directly mimics the competitive environment.

Valerie’s Supplement for Language Pattern Study

Your speller has mastered Greek and Latin roots, but they keep getting tripped up by words from German, Italian, or Japanese. They recognize that these words feel different, but they can’t articulate the rules. This is where highly specialized guides, like those from former speller Valerie Browning, come into play.

These types of supplements are designed for advanced spellers who need to master language patterns. They group words by their language of origin and teach the specific spelling conventions, phonetic rules, and letter combinations unique to that language. For example, learning the patterns of German-derived words (like those with "sch" or "ei") can instantly make dozens of tricky words predictable.

This is a strategic tool for a speller who has already built a very strong foundation. It’s not about memorizing more words; it’s about learning entire systems to decode them. Investing in a language pattern guide is for the speller who is working to close the final gaps in their knowledge on their path to the elite level. It’s the transition from being a great speller to a linguistic detective.

Consolidated Word List for Elite Competitors

Once a speller has exhausted the official Scripps lists and foundational etymology, the question becomes: what do we study now? The dictionary is a vast place. This is where consolidated word lists, often compiled by coaching services or former national champions, become essential for those aiming for the very top.

These lists are massive collections of challenging words curated from decades of national bees, unabridged dictionaries, and obscure linguistic corners. They are designed to expose a speller to the "off-list" words that often decide the final rounds of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. They are dense, difficult, and represent the final frontier of preparation.

Let’s be clear: this is an elite-level tool. Purchasing one of these lists is a major commitment and should only be considered for a speller who is consistently winning at the regional level and has a deep, self-driven desire to compete nationally. For most spellers, focusing on the other resources will yield far better results and be a more enjoyable experience.

Creating a Study Plan with Multiple Resources

You’ve bought the books and subscribed to the apps, but now they’re gathering dust. The most valuable resource is a plan. A thoughtful study schedule is what activates the potential in all these guides and prevents your child from feeling overwhelmed.

A balanced plan integrates different types of learning to keep things engaging. You might dedicate two days a week to the core Scripps list, one day to etymology and roots, and another to language patterns. Use digital quizzing tools for daily review and to simulate competition. When a new, interesting word comes up, make it a habit to look it up together in the Unabridged dictionary.

Your role as a parent is not to be the drill sergeant, but the supportive manager. Help your middle schooler block out time, set achievable weekly goals, and track their progress. A good plan builds consistency, confidence, and ownership, which are far more important than cramming a thousand words the week before a bee.

Ultimately, the goal is to nurture your child’s passion for language and learning, not just to collect trophies. The best guide is the one that meets your child where they are and provides the right level of challenge to keep them excited. Match your investment to their genuine interest, and you’ll be giving them skills that last a lifetime.