As is now well-known, scores on “intelligence” tests rose strongly over the last few generations, world-wide—this is the “Flynn Effect.” One striking anomaly, however, appears in American data: ...

To the National Spelling Bee adding a new challenge to its competiton. New tests are being administered starting this year that emphasize that contestants also know the meaning of words. The addition ...

What does it really mean to “circumvent the situation”? Or is it “circumnavigate”? “Circumscribe”? 🤔 The point is… English ...

Increasing social media usage among children has been linked to a decline in cognitive performance. A JAMA study involving ...

Can you master the vocabulary section of the Scripps National Spelling Bee preliminary test? Vocabulary accounts for 50 percent of a speller’s total score on the test, which determines who goes to the ...

John McWhorter is an associate professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University. Spelling bees have always been cute. But they’re about to get cuter, because now they will ...