Commissions I and II: students will draw three tickets from those offered. All tickets are presented face down. Each ticket lists two topics. The student will choose one of the three tickets drawn and will speak/answer questions on the two topics listed.
For example, in устная речь a student could select the ticket with the topics свободное время and моя семья, or in страноведение, the ticket with the topics у карты России and история. Judges should limit themselves to the questions contained in the Olympiada materials. If there is a second or third round of competition, judges are free to ask any questions from the Olympiada texts and beyond.
Commission III: Please note that the only time students may see a written text during the contest is when they read aloud a portion of their selected reading. The text will then be handed to the judge and the students will answer the questions in the Olympiada material. (Levels I, II and III.) In levels IV and V students will be asked to retell.
All of you "Olympians" know, of course, that it is impossible to prepare students adequately for the Olympiada in a matter of days. We suggest that you incorporate the Olympiada materials in your curriculum, beginning in September. If, for instance, Petersburg is a topic in a particular unit you may want to use the corresponding Olympiada materials in страноведение to supplement your textbook.
If you are not yet an "Olympian", we encourage you to consider participating. It is indeed a rewarding experience for students and teachers, as well as excellent PR. To those who have not yet decided, we suggest that you try using some of these materials with your students. They can be used for oral group work, dialog preparation and presentation, individual oral reports, etc. Some teachers use them also as a base for short paragraph/composition writing.
It is never easy to find qualified judges who are willing to follow the format of the Olympiada. Start looking for them early and give them a thorough briefing in writing, as well as for an hour before the contest.
Criteria for scoring can be briefly summarized as follows:
For Levels I and II the most important criterion is the delivery of the message: does the student adequately answer the question in a way that the message can be understood by an educated native speaker?
For Levels III to V the accuracy of grammar and vocabulary usage becomes increasingly important as the student delivers his/her message. More detailed suggestions for scoring will be sent out to Regional and State Chairs at the appropriate time. We suggest that all Olympiadas use the 100-point scale with the following score-medal correspondences:
90% - 100%-Gold Medal
80% - 89%-Silver Medal
70% - 79%-Bronze Medal
below 70%-Honorable Mention
Procedure: add up all the scores earned in the three commissions and divide by three.
A note concerning Native Speakers: they should prepare the same material as other participants and compete on the level for which they are registered. Native speakers will register for one level higher than the course in which they are enrolled in school. Scores for native speakers will be tabulated separately.
All students will receive a certificate from the ACTR Office in Washington, D.C., including those who earn Honorable Mention.
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