The Japanese Teachers Association of Texas Austin Area Teachers invite middle school, high school, and college students of the Japanese language in the Greater Austin area to challenge themselves and compete in the 2022 Austin Regional Japanese Language Speech Contest. Due to the ongoing pandemic, this year’s competition will again take place through video submission and a virtual award ceremony.
Those who wish to participate must meet the same eligibility described in the 2022 Texas State Japanese Language Speech Contest Handbook AND be available and willing to register for and to participate in the virtual 2022 Texas State Contest on March 12, 2022. The teacher of the student who wishes to enter into the contest must make sure that the student is competing in the appropriate division for their ability and ensure their timely registration for the State contest if they win the 1st or 2nd place at the regional contest. While Austin Regional Contest does not require a notarized certificate of contestant’s eligibility, such certificate is required for the State Contest entry.
All videos and related forms must be submitted no later than 5:00PM on Thursday, February 17.
For questions, please contact:
<College/University> Dr. Naoko Suito n.suito@austin.utexas.edu
<Middle/High School> Ms. Hiroko Karch Hiroko.Fukuharakarch@austinisd.org
<All other matters> Yoshiko Fujii Gaines Yoshiko_Gaines@Baylor.edu
Information regarding eligibility, divisions, and video submission can be found below.
Eligibility:
The contestants should be a current resident of the Greater Austin area.
The contestants must meet all other eligibility requirements in the division of their entry for the Texas state Japanese speech contest published in the 2022 Texas State Japanese Language Speech Contest Handbook.
The contestants should be available and willing to participate in the virtual 2022 Texas State Japanese Speech Contest on March 12, 2022. (The 1st and 2nd-place winners must register for the State contest with JASH no later than 5PM on Thursday, March 3, 2022.)
Any contestant who does not meet all of the above will not be considered as an official entry.
Divisions:
Please see the 2022 Texas State Japanese Language Speech Contest Handbook for the explanation and expectation for each division:
Division I: Poetry Recitation - Please see the handbook for the assigned poem.
Division II: Haiku - Please see the handbook for the 4 choices of the master Haiku.
Division III: High School Free Speech
Division IV: College/University Free Speech
*Those who wish to participate in the “Open Division” should directly enter the State contest.
How to Enter/Submit:
Only the following numbers of entries will be allowed to enter:
Division I: Poetry Recitation and Division II: Haiku - top 2 entries per school per category
Division III: High School Free Speech - up to 6 entries total
College/University Free Speech - up to 6 entries total
First, create a video of your presentation. Make sure you meet the following requirements:
A fixed webcam should be used to avoid unnecessary movements, such as shaking and falling.
Audio and picture should be clear. Judges will pay attention to your facial expressions and pronunciation.
The video should be recorded in one shot from the beginning till the end. Edited video will result in disqualification from the contest.
You should stand approximately 3 feet away from the camera. From head to waist should be in the camera frame.
Your name should be introduced first; for example, ローレン ハーリーです. Do not mention the name of your school.
After greeting “おねがいします” and bowing, you should start the speech or recitation.
In the Poetry and Haiku divisions, motions indicating you are reading will result in being disqualified from the contest. Keep looking at the camera while speaking.
In the high school and college speech divisions, the use of notes during the speech is allowed. However, memorizing your speech and speaking rather than reading is encouraged. (Speaking without using notes is highly encouraged for the State contest.) Try to look at the camera as much as possible while speaking.
Stop recording after greeting, such as “ありがとうございました” and bowing.
Secondly, upload your video “unlisted” to YouTube.
Finally, submit a complete entry form with a YouTube video link and other necessary information no later than 5PM on Thursday, February 17, 2022 through the buttons below:
Any entry with missing information, a broken video link, or a video that cannot be played with clear picture and sound will be disqualified. If the video is edited meaning it is not recorded in one whole shot, it will be disqualified. If the video is uploaded to YouTube or edited later than 5pm on Feb. 17, 2022, it will be disqualified as well.
The 2022 Austin Regional Japanese Language Speech Contest is sponsored by:
Austin ISD World Languages (MS/HS Divisions)
University of Texas at Austin, Department of Asian Studies (College/University Division)
Japanese Teachers Association of Texas Austin Area Teachers