NOTE: Some competitions have restrictions on the number of entries
per class or per school. In the case of limits per class, this means
per individual class [therefore, if you teach two classes of French I,
and the limit is three per class, you may have six entries].
1. POETRY RECITATION: Students must select a poem from the choices
provided by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.
Copies of poems are available from the main
page of the Language Fair website. The poem selected must be recited
from memory. Contestants will be judged on pronunciation, intonation,
memorization, and interpretation. NOTE: In the case of Latin, we are using the dramatic
interpretation passages of the National Junior Classical League. Maximum of
three entries per class.
2. VOCABULARY QUIZ: Students will complete a written test, where
they will be tested on their knowledge of the vocabulary of the foreign
language. There will be two parts to the quiz: 1) students will be
provided with words or expressions in the target language for which they
must provide a correct English equivalent, and with English vocabulary
for which the foreign language equivalent must be provided; and 2) students
will complete a short dictation read by the tester (in the case of Latin,
there will be a short Latin to English translation passage). Vocabulary
will be drawn from basic vocabulary lists. We realize and regret
that not all students will be familiar with the exact same vocabulary.
The precise format of the vocabulary quiz may vary slightly from language
to language. Students are encouraged to bring their own pens/pencils.
Maximum of three entries per class.
3. DRAMA: Each group will present a scene from the dramatic literature
of the target language, or an original skit written solely by the students.
Schools will have to provide their own props, costumes, and equipment.
Scenes must be acted from memory and must not exceed 10 minutes, including
set-up time. Scenes will be evaluated on the correct use of the target
language, pronunciation, acting ability, presentation, and observance of
the time limit. Judges must be given a copy of the script.
4. MUSIC: There are two categories for music: solo and group.
The musical piece chosen must be a vocal selection [not purely instrumental],
must be relevant to the culture of the target language, and must be introduced
by a brief, memorized explanation of this relevance in the target language
(delivered by a non-native speaker). The vocalists must have the lyrics
memorized. The musical accompaniment itself
need not be memorized. Selections should be made by the student(s)
and teacher. Students participating must be studying the language
of the musical piece. A piano will be available, but any other
equipment must be provided by the competitors. Participants must
provide their own cassette/CD players. Performances will be judged
on the basis of pronunciation, presentation, and interpretation.
The time limit is five minutes. Competitors who have won prizes in
past years may not compete using the same musical piece.
5. POETRY WRITING: MUST BE POSTMARKED BY MARCH 14, 2008.
Before the fair, students will submit an original work of poetry in the
target language. There is no specific length for the poems.
Students will be judged on their ability to demonstrate correct use of
the target language, as well as their creative ability. All work
must be done solely by the student, and the student must sign an appropriate
pledge, which will also be signed by the teacher. The use of dictionaries
is permitted. Poems will judged by faculty of the Department of Foreign
Languages and Literatures before the Fair, and winners will be announced
on the day of the Fair. Click
here
for the entry form and pledge. All students will be judged in the same competition [no distinction for
levels]. Beginning in 2005, students of Japanese will be able to submit Haiku
verse. For further information on the Japanese portion of the
poetry-writing contest, please contact
Professor Matsuda. Maximum of three entries per class.
6. POSTERS: Students will design a poster for display and judging
during the Fair. This year’s theme for posters is Taste the World
Through Languages. The maximum size for posters is 16 square feet. Judging will be based
on appropriateness to theme, correct and imaginative use of the target
language, and visual impact. The poster should reflect the theme
of this year’s Fair, but need not incorporate it word for word. Affixed
to the lower right front or back corner of each poster must be a 3x5 card
with the following information: name of student(s), school, language, category
(posters), name of teacher. Writing on the poster must
be in the target language. Contestants are responsible for delivering
and picking up their poster on the day of the Fair. Posters that
have won prizes in previous years may not be re-submitted. Maximum of two entries per class
and maximum of two competitors per poster.
7. PROJECTS: Students will submit a project based on the culture(s)
of the target language. Projects must display an effort on the part
of students to present research on and understanding of some aspect of
a foreign culture. The judges will consider whether a project has
real learning value for the competitors. Attractiveness, detail,
cultural appropriateness, and obvious effort are also criteria for judging.
If teachers have any doubts about the appropriateness of a project, please
contact Fatima Nogueira. Each project must have a 3x5 card attached
with the following information: name of student(s), school, language, category
(projects), name of teacher. Projects must not exceed an area 2 feet
by 3 feet, since space will be limited. Contestants are responsible
for delivering and picking up their project on the day of the Fair.
Projects that have won prizes in previous years may not be re-submitted. Maximum
of two entries per class and two students per project.
8. CRAFTS: Students will submit an original craft (other than
posters), which might take various forms: hand-made craftwork, models,
original works of art, etc. If teachers have any doubts about the
appropriateness of a craft, please contact Fatima Nogueira. PLEASE
NOTE: due to health concerns and University regulations, food items may
not be submitted as crafts. Attractiveness, originality, cultural
appropriateness, and obvious effort are the criteria for judging.
Each craft must have a 3x5 card attached with the following information:
name of student(s), school, language, category (crafts), title of craft, name of
teacher. Crafts must not exceed an area 2 feet by
3 feet, since space will be limited. Crafts that have won prizes
in previous years may not be re-submitted. Maximum of two entries per class
and two students per craft.
9. GREETING CARDS: Students will create original greeting cards
in the target language. The card may be intended for birthdays, holidays,
or any other appropriate occasion. Entries must be in the form of
a traditional greeting card [standard greeting card sizes, folded, with
design and short greeting on cover, and with a text of 20-50 words on the
inside]. Cards may not be computer-generated. Students will
be judged on the basis of originality, attractiveness, and use of the target
language. The following information must be found on the back of
the card: category (greeting cards), language, school, name of student,
and name of teacher. Greeting cards that have won prizes in previous years may
not be re-submitted. Maximum of two entries per class and one
student per card.
10. WRITING: MUST BE POSTMARKED BY MARCH 14, 2008. The
writing competition will vary according to the target language. Students
in French, German, and Spanish will submit an essay in the target language.
The essay in French, German, and Spanish must be on the theme of Taste the World
Through Languages. Students in Latin will submit a translation into English of a selected
Latin passage. Essays in the target language must not exceed the
following lengths: two typed, double-spaced pages for Level I, three pages
for Level II, and four pages for Level III. All writing competition
entries must be accompanied by an entry form and pledge form. All
work, including drafts and revisions, must be done solely by the student,
and the student must sign an appropriate pledge, which will also be signed
by the teacher. The use of dictionaries is permitted. Writing
entries will be judged by faculty of the Department of Foreign Languages
and Literatures. Entries must be postmarked no later than March 14,
2008. Winners will be announced at the Fair. Click
here for the Essay
entry form and pledge. Maximum of three entries per class.
11. FOLK DANCE [DIVIDED INTO TWO CATEGORIES]: The folk dance
event will have two separate categories: Latin, for dances such as salsa
and meringue that have their origins in Latin America, and Traditional,
for dances from other areas of the world. Teachers are encouraged
to contact Fatima Nogueira if they have questions about these categories.
Dances must be appropriate to the language or culture studied, and must
be introduced by a short explanation as to period, style, country, etc.,
delivered both in English and in the target language (the latter by a non-native
speaker of the target language). Musical accompaniment must be provided
by the performing group. We will provide a cassette/CD player, although
groups are encouraged to use their own equipment. Dances will be
judged on the basis of execution, showmanship, and cultural relevance.
The time limit, including the introduction, is 10 minutes. To receive
the highest award, the performance should be inspired by authentic variations
of music, dance patterns, and dress. While costumes need not be elaborate,
they should be uniform and correspond to the culture from which the music
is derived. Groups must have a minimum of three participants.
12. COSTUMES: Participants will wear a traditional regional costume.
Costumes will be judged on the basis of style, authenticity and oral presentation.
Home-made costumes are preferred. Students must make a short presentation
[no more than five minutes] about their costume. This presentation
will be done in English. Costumes that have won prizes in previous
years may not be re-submitted.
13. CULTURE BOWL: Culture bowl teams will be asked questions
covering topics such a world geography, history, culture, and customs.
The questions will NOT be language-specific, although general knowledge
questions about language and languages may be asked. Two or three
teams will compete at the same time, depending on the number of entries,
in single-elimination matches lasting 20 minutes. The championship
round will be the final event of the Fair before the awards ceremony.
There is a maximum of one team per school. Teams may be composed
of up to five members, although only three will compete in any one round.
It is the responsibility of the language teachers at each school to select
the students who will represent the school.
