Language Fair

Language Competitions

Skits/Mini Drama

ONLY ONE SKIT ALLOWED PER SCHOOL PER LEVEL

General Instructions

  1. Any number of students may participate in the skit. However, students who are participating in a skit MAY NOT participate on a Language Bowl Team. This is due to the playoff nature of the Bowl competition in which schedule conflicts often arise.
  2. The total presentation will not exceed 10 minutes. One student should introduce the group and title of the skit at the beginning in Spanish. Parts should be memorized and given in Spanish.
  3. The skit group will be responsible for bringing all props, costumes, and any other equipment
    needed, such as record players, tape recorders, etc. The setting up and dismantling of props and scenery must be done immediately before and after each presentation and will be included in the 10-minute time limit for the skit. HINT: Keep it simple.
  4. Musical and talent numbers may be included IF THEY INVOLVE ORAL USE OF SPANISH.
  5. Skits will be judged on presentation, language proficiency, staging, time limit, pronunciation
    and projection. PLEASE TEACH THEM TO SPEAK LOUDLY, CLEARLY & DISTINCTLY!
Suggestions

The term skit may be expanded to include other types of memorized dramas such as: parody on classroom activities, scenes from famous plays, cultural minidramas, simulations of real-life situation, etc.

Impromptu Conversation

JUNIOR HIGH ONLY

General Instructions

  • Students will work in pairs.
  • Each pair will randomly select from a deck of situation cards, one of the situations listed below.
  • They will be given 5 minutes to prepare a conversation based on that situation. They may use a dictionary but cannot receive help from anyone else.
  • The pair should act out the conversation in Spanish trying to exceed at least one minute. Bonus points will be given for exceeding one minute. They will not be allowed to read from notes.
  • Teams will be judged on: appropriateness of conversation to situation, pronunciation, expressing enthusiasm, clarity, projection, correctness, and the time length.

Situations

Please note that our intent here is only to provide a situation from which a conversation can be generated, not to dictate what is to be said. Within the framework of the situation, the students are free to make any imaginative elaborations necessary to expand and lengthen the conversation. Possibilities are suggested parenthetically. Boy-boy, girl-girl, or boy-girl roles may be adjusted as needed. One student should introduce the conversation by saying something such as: Somos dos amigas, y estamos hablando de la posibilidad de ir al cine; or Estamos en un restaurante–mi compañero es el mesero, y yo soy el cliente.

  • Two young people meet and one tries to convince the other that they should go to the movies. The other is reluctant and has a number of reasons not to go.
  • Two students discuss the sporting event from the night before and their team’s chances in the championship next week.
  • Two young people have just met after having returned form vacation. (They talk about where they went, what they did, what they liked, etc.)
  • Two young people have just left a movie theater, and are discussing the movie. (One liked it and the other didn’t, etc.)
  • A young person has just called a friend on the telephone and the mother (father) answers. The friend is not home. (Where is he?, When will he be back?, etc. The person calling leaves a message, etc.)
  • A student calls his/her teacher (or boss at job) to explain that he/she is sick and will have to
    stay home. (The teacher (boss) is a little skeptical and asks for details – plans for making up work, etc. are discussed.)
  • Two friends have just bumped into each other after 3 years’ separation. One has been attending
    another school. They talk about the new school. (Compare teachers, harder or easier subjects, etc.)
  • Two friends are talking about what they are going to do during Christmas vacation. (One is going to another state to visit grandparents, other has to work, etc.)
  • A customer in a restaurant has just finished a meal and complains to the waiter about high prices, poor food, poor service and so on. The customer then reveals that he/she doesn’t have enough money to pay the bill.
  • A student is talking to a doctor about health problems he/she is having. (Doctor asks questions, prescribes treatment, etc.)
  • The victim of a robbery (attack, etc.) reports the incident to a policeman.
  • A young person approaches father/mother to ask for money needed for some project, activity, or some sort of purchase. The parent asks for full information about why the child doesn’t use own money, if it is absolutely necessary, if it will be paid back, etc.
  • Two students are describing their parents and their occupations.
  • Two persons meet after the first week of school. One is taking Spanish and tells the other what the class is like.
  • The housewife (boss) is talking to the maid (employee) about some work which has not been done well, and they plan the work for the rest of the day.
  • A policeman is trying to calm a lost child and help him find his parents.
  • Two young people are talking about cars and motorcycles and mention which they would prefer, or which type of car they would like best.
  • A child has found a stray animal and tries to convince a parent that they should keep it.
  • Two friends are shopping. One likes how an article looks on the other and tries to convince the other to buy it.
  • A student has just come back from Mexico and is telling a friend about the things that are different from the United States.
Song Competition (solo, duet, or group – please limit group size to 15):
  • Students perform a song in Spanish and needs to be introduced by a short, memorized explanation of the relevance in the target language. The music itself does not need to be memorized, it can have musical accompaniment or bring recording, or it can even be an original song).
  • Selections should be made by the student and teacher and should not be more than 5 minutes long including set up time. The time limit will be strictly enforced in order to accommodate all performances.
  • Purely instrumental selections are not appropriate.
Poster Competition:

Students are invited to design a colorful and informative poster in Spanish for display and judging.

  • The theme this year is: Culture and History of one of the Spanish speaking countries of the student choice.
    • New this year: Two awards given: one voted “best poster” by students attending the Fair, the second winner will be selected by judges.
  • Only the target language may be used.
  • Due to space restrictions, posters must be two-dimensional, no larger than 18″x22,” and mounted on a rigid surface for ease of display. We will adhere strictly to these parameters for judging.
  • A 3×5 card with the following information must be affixed to the lower right front corner of each poster:
    • Student(s) name(s), school, city, teacher, and level (preferably typed)

Contact

Leonor Ceballos

Language Fair Director

Email: leonor.ceballos@utahtech.edu

Phone: 435-634-2012