English Speaking Contest Information
1. PURPOSE
A. To provide an opportunity for speakers to improve their speaking abilities and to recognize the best as encouragement to all.
B. To provide an opportunity to learn by observing the more proficient speakers who have benefited from their English education.
Along with a certificate from the US Embassy, Contest winners in both categories will also win an Ipod Shuffle
Contestants must fit within the age/grade requirements of the contest level that they wish to compete in. Junior contest applicants must be between the
ages of 12 and 14 . Senior contest applicants must be between the ages of
15 and 18. All applicants must be English as a foreign language speakers, with their mother tongue being a language other than English.
3. RULES AND REGULATIONS A. Students who wish to participate in the English Speaking Contest must
complete an English Speaking Contest Participation Form and return it to the American Corners by the date indicated on the form. People who have not returned a form will be ineligible to compete.
B. Presentations will be
3 to 5 minutes in length. Participants will lose points from their score if they go below or over the allowed time. A green sign will be held up once the participant reaches 3 minutes. A yellow sign will be held up at 4 minutes. A red sign will be held up at 5 minutes.
C. Participants may choose to present in any of the following formats:
- informational,
- persuasive,
- humorous speech,
- storytelling,
- poetry recitation, or
- literary reading.
All content must be original, or as in the case of poetry recitation and storytelling, credit must be given to the original writer.
D. On the day of the contest, the judges will randomly determine the order of the contestant’s presentations in a way that is fair and unbiased.
E. As this is an individual competition, students must present by themselves. Group presentations are not permitted.
F. Students may use
3 by 5 inch note cards to refer to as notes during the presentation. Please note that students will lose points for referring to their notes excessively (example: reading off of the note cards).
G.
Props are allowed, but must be necessary for or add to the quality of the presentation. Powerpoint or other electronic presentation types are not allowed. Examples of acceptable props include: pictures, books, demonstration materials, or other. For more information, contact the American Corners nearest you.
H. Following their speech, there will be a short question and answer period where contestants may be asked questions about their presentation by the audience or judges. Their answers will not be used by the judges to determine their score.
I. All participants will be scored using a rubric, which will be available to them prior to the contest. If you need a copy of the rubric, contact the American Corners nearest you.
J. The contest will be scored by a panel of judges who are English language experts. Possible judges may include American Corners staff members, English language fellows, Fulbright scholars, English teachers, and American embassy representatives.
K. Immediately following the final presentation, the judges will tally all of the participant’s scores to determine the winners. Awards and certificates will be presented the evening of
March 27th, 2010. Download the Application form ***Application Deadline is March 18th***
an American Corner near you!!!!!
American Corner Skopje
American Corner Stip
American Corner Bitola
This is the schedule of their presentations:
For American Corner Stip
English Language Fellow Mary Bromwell
Elizabeth giving Storytelling tips
Strahil Todorov delivering an informative speech
Ivan Mickovski and Vesna Velevska giving examples what NOT to do
The American Corner will provide, free of charge, information to the general public about the United States through books, magazines, special publications, DVDs, and the Internet. It will also host a wide variety of events, such as cultural programs and guest lectures. Membership is free and open to all citizens.
The February 22 birthday of George Washington, military leader of the American Revolution and first president of the United States, has been a legal holiday since 1885.
Every February, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery.
of whom were martyred.
believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today.
