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PLEASE PASS THIS LETTER TO ANY OTHER FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED.
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AFLTA District II FOREIGN LANGUAGE FESTIVAL
Teachers, Please note that there are awards for first, second, and third in every category; however, students must score 90% or above to receive a first place award and 80% or above for the second and third place awards. All entries will be awarded appropriate certificates.
GROUP ACTIVITIES:
DRAMA - Rules will have to be revised in order to comply with the state festival; the following rules are last year’s and posted for your information only. (A group of students may perform a skit in the target language. Skits are divided into level I, II, and Advanced. Performance times are limited to Level I, 3-7 minutes; Level II, 4-8 minutes; and Advanced, 5-10 minutes. Because of scheduling, skits are limited to one (1) skit per level per teacher. Skits will be judged according to originality (20%), technical skill (memorization/polish) (20%), stage presence (confidence & poise) (20%), cultural connections (appropriate links to target culture) (20%), and audience appeal (20%). Skits must be original to the Festival; i.e., no repeat performances of the same skit. Include two (2) copies of the skit for the judges. NOTE: Costumes and props must be covered (or sealed) and labeled with school name prior to performance and stored in the designated place for props. If students do not take props back to their buses after the performance, they must be replaced in the prop room in an orderly manner. Festival organizers will not be responsible for props unclaimed at the end of the Festival.)
MUSICAL - There will be four separate categories for musical competition. Students may compete in INSTRUMENTAL SOLO, INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE, VOCAL SOLO, OR VOCAL ENSEMBLE. There will be no stereo and no piano provided. Portable stereos are acceptable for recorded music background. Selections will be judged according to originality (20%), technical skill (memorization/polish) (20%), stage presence (confidence & poise) (20%), cultural connections (appropriate links to target culture) (20%), and audience appeal (20%). Songs must be sung in the target language and from memory. All performances, vocal and instrumental, must be from memory. There is no distinction of levels for this competition, but entries are limited to four (4) total entries per teacher in any distribution. Include two (2) copies of any lyrics or musical scores for the judges. Scores will be marked down five (5) points, if copies are not supplied. No repeat performances from previous years by the same student, please. Students are requested to give a short introduction in English to their piece, identifying title and cultural background. (Please note that dance may be integrated into a skit or musical performances, but we do not have a separate dance category.)
CULTURE BOWL - The two (2) teams chosen for the Culture Bowl will be from the top eight (8) scores on the Culture Test. The next two scores will serve as alternates.
INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITIES
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Students must compete at the class level that they are presently attending. Any student NOT in a spring-semester language class should compete at the level most recently completed.
Unless otherwise stated, each teacher may enter six (6) students per level per school
for each of these events.
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EXTEMPORANEOUS READING - The contestant will read aloud a short passage in the target language. Each teacher may enter six (6) students per level per school.
EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING - This event will require students to talk about a picture or series of pictures. If needed, the judge may prompt the students or ask them questions. Judging criteria will be content(20%), embellishment (range of vocabulary) (20%), pronunciation/accuracy(20%), presentation/expression (20%), & response to questions by judges(20%) . Each teacher may enter six (6) students per level per school.
POETRY - The contestant will memorize the poem which coincides with his/her ability level in their present language acquisition. The contestant will be judged according to memorization/preparedness (20%), pronunciation (20%), intonation/expression (20%), pace/fluency (20%), and stage presence-confidence/poise(20%). Each teacher may enter six (6) students per level per school.
VOCABULARY BEE - This competition tests the student’s comprehension of vocabulary learned in the first year of language learning. Each teacher may enter six (6) students per level per school. Enclosed is a word list of possible vocabulary words used for the bee. Students will see the word in the target language and give the translation in English. (All infinitive translations need to be given as “to _____.” The final round will consist of nouns, adverbs, adjectives, and verbs in English to be translated into the TARGET LANGUAGE.
CULTURE TEST - As a prerequisite for the Culture Bowl, students must be enrolled in the Culture Test. The test will be 55-60 multiple choice questions in English which are progressively more difficult. (Each school may enter 10 students per language.) The top eight (8) scores will advance to the Culture Bowl. The next two (2) will serve as alternates. Questions will be taken from the French and Spanish Cultural Trivia Exercises available from Teacher’s Discovery(1-800-teacher). There will also be questions on current events.
POSTER - 2008 Theme: "You’ve Got the World on a String with Foreign Languages"
NOTE: Posters must be standard poster size (28X22). The title must appear on the poster in English, but it may also appear in another language or languages. Surface must be flat with no moving parts or additions. Note: Collages and/or "3-D" entries are not acceptable. No copyrighted material can be used on the poster. The drawing may be in color or in black and white. Entries using paint, markers, pen, pencil, chalk, pastels, or crayons are acceptable. Entries must be human-made and NOT computer generated.
Evaluation criteria will be: theme (adherence to theme, ability to communicate theme) (20%), originality/creativity (20%), artistic merit (quality of artistry)(20%), artistic appeal (audience appeal)(20%), & cultural connections(20%). Posters should arrive no later than Wednesday, January 31, 2007. Posters may be rolled and sent through the mail inside a tube used to mail such things.
Entries may be mailed to the following address: SAFLA POSTER, c/o Dr. Elba Birmingham-Pokorny, SAU Box 9220, Magnolia, AR 71754-9220, or they may be hand delivered. Entries are limited to 5 per teacher per language. On the back, bottom left corner of each entry, PRINT CLEARLY the student’s name, school, language, and teacher. POSTERS WILL BE JUDGED PRIOR TO THE FESTIVAL, AND THERE WILL BE NO JUDGING ON SITE. Late entries, posters that are not properly identified, and posters which are not standard size will not be judged. Students need not be present to enter this event, but registration fee must be paid.
COOKING - NO COOKING ENTRY WILL QUALIFY FOR THE STATE FESTIVAL BECAUSE THERE IS NO SUCH CATEGORY AT THE STATE LEVEL! Contestants may cook an ethnic dish associated with any French or Spanish speaking culture. Food must be prepared ahead of time and must be in a container. There will be no refrigeration available. Any refrigerated items will not be judged. Contestants must bring a 3X5 card with recipe written ahead of time and enclosed with the entry. ANOTHER 3X5 card must be enclosed with the student’s name, school, language, and teacher. Note: No entry will be accepted without these cards! If the dish is not collected by the allotted time on the day of the festival, it will be discarded!! The three categories are: MAIN DISH, DESSERT, and SALAD/VEGETABLE. Each teacher is allowed only six total entries. No dish should be larger in size than that of a normal placemat. Students need not be present to enter this event, but registration fee must be paid.
ESSAY– See the Essay page for topic and requirements. Each teacher may enter five (5) essays. Mail entries to : SAFLA ESSAY c/o Dr. Elizabeth Davis, PO Box , Magnolia, AR 71754 . All entries must be postmarked by January 11, 2008.