State of Maine Japanese Speech Contest Outline

The Contest this year is held on Friday March 14, 2003, 7:00 ~ 8:15 p.m., in Muskie Archives at Bates College.

Goal:
The goal of this event is to enable students to use Japanese in a real-life situation.

Participants:

• Beginner Level (students in 1st year Japanese): up to 3 students from each institution;
• Intermediate Level (students in 2nd or 3rd year Japanese): up to 2 students from each institution;
• Advanced Level (students in 3rd or 4th year Japanese): up to 2 students from each institution;
• **The assignment of the level to which each student is placed may be discussed among the organizers.

Format:

• Each student will speak for three to seven minutes depending on the level.
• Each speaker will choose his/her own topic/theme.
• The students are encouraged to use vocabulary and grammar patterns they have learned in class. Memorizing a paper filled with words and grammar the speaker does not have a command of will defeat the contestﾕs purpose.
• Instructors of Japanese classes are encouraged to incorporate the preparatory work for this event (draft writing and practice speaking) in their semester curriculum. Ideally, each institution will host an in-house speech contest to select the seven (or less) finalists.

Criteria:

• Topic
• Speed & Time
  • 3 minutes for the Beginning Level
  • 3 to 5 minutes for the Intermediate Level
  • 5 to 7 minutes for the Advanced Level
• Intonation
• Pronunciation
• Eye contact

Judges:

• The Consulate of General and a few JASM members will be judges this year.

Prizes:

• Prizes in the form of certificate will be provided for the first and second places in each level, and a book for other participants (speakers) this year.

Annual Bates-Colby Debate in Japanese Language

Time:  Usually in Winter Semester

Place:  Bates or Colby, alternating as host

Bates & Colby students are mixed up and divided into Pro. and Con. teams.

 In1998
Zoe & Greg gave a summary speech.  The students were nervous before they started.  However, they said, "It was a lot of fun.  I am happy doing this!" after they finished.

2001 Winter at Bates:  Will Japan be better in the twenty first century or not?

2000 Winter at Colby:  Should Japan make English the second official language or not?

1999 Winter at Bates:  Is Japan all right in the future or not?

1998 Winter at Colby:  Is Japan's Westernalization a good thing or not?

1997 Winter at Bates:  Which is better to live in Japan or the U.S.?

1995 Winter at Colby:  Which people are happier, the Japanese or the Americans?

1994 Fall at Bates:  Individualism VS. Groupism

1993 Winter at Colby:  Which has a better future, the Oriental or the Western countries?  "Nihon wa daijoobuka? (Is Japan all right in the future?)"