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By Malina Jeya Palannews@nst.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: With her hands clasped, her nervousness was obvious as she waited for the spell master to announce the word to be spelled.
The competition was intense but 11-year-old Kashwini Arumugam confidently spelled the winning word, "monstrous", enunciating it carefully.
There was loud applause as she was announced the winner of the first national spelling championship yesterday.
"I'm so happy. Some of the words were difficult but I pulled through," she said.
The Year Five pupil of SK (P) Methodist, Kuantan, said her secret lay in her voracious appetite for reading.
"I read about five books a week, most of them story- books, such as Enid Blyton and my favourite Harry Potter books.
"I love reading because it improves my vocabulary and broadens my knowledge."
She said her friends and teacher helped her practise for the competition.
Her mother, Ranitha Rajaratnam, said she was proud of her younger daughter's achievement.
"I'm so happy for her. She is a responsible and helpful child.
"I don't have to nag her to do her homework or read."
Ranitha said she started introducing books to her daughters when they were 4.
"I never bought them toys. Instead, I gave them books as birthday presents and rewards for doing well in school.
"I believe that reading is important and parents should inculcate this habit in their children," she said.
The competition, themed the "Knowledge Discovery Spell- ing Competition", was held at Sekolah Wawasan, USJ 15, Subang Jaya, and involved 26 children from 18 schools nationwide.
Aifos media chairman E.A. Scheers said the competition was organised with the Education Ministry to improve the standard of English and general knowledge.
Education Ministry deputy director-general Md Hasidin Zaini said he hoped the competition would be an annual event for youngsters as it would develop their confidence in English.
First prize winner Kashwini walked away with a trophy, a Champs hamper worth RM250, a three-day stay at Langkawi Resort and a two-year subscription to Knowledge Discovery magazine.
Runner-up 10-year-old Tan Zer Tong received a Champs hamper worth RM200, a two-year subscription to Knowledge Discovery Magazine and a three-day stay at Bukit Merah Laketown Resort.
Certificates were given to all participants, including consolation prize winners, who also received Champs hampers worth RM100 and a one-year subscription to the magazine.
She’s in my class now and we’re good friends 🙂 Her essays are superb and her writing is such an inspiration to me 😀