Speech Contests

When JQS had an accident on the bicycle (he ran into someone on a scooter) the high school girl who brought him home asked me if I would help her study for an English Language Speech contest. She wasn't from my school, but I was certainly grateful to her and happy to do her a favor. So for the next few weeks she'd come over and read an essay and I'd help her with her pronunciation. Her reading was very fluent, but I quickly learned that she had no idea what she was saying. Nowadays I understand that kids in these contests have to answer questions to prove that they haven't just memorized meaningless words.

Today I attended a counterpart here in Austin: the 16th Annual Japanese Language Speech Contest. I heard about through the JET Alumni Association. But I also know Cecil Lawson, who coordinated the contest at St. Edward's, because we attended St. Ed's at the same time. And he was one of the first participants on the JET program, before it was even called the JET program. Also one of the judges and founders of the contest, Dr. Matsumoto, was instrumental in JQS and I going to Japan. He started a Japanese Language School for Children. I signed JQS up for lessons. (He was tired of playing soccer.) And before we knew it, we were on a plane to Japan. My former Japanese teacher now teaches at St. Ed's; so I was hoping to reconnect with her, too.

The contestants ranged from seven elementary school students to people who had just finished their graduate degrees. Many of the younger children had a parent or a grandparent that was Japanese. The older students came to their Japanese studies through an interest in pop cultere. The adult students seemed to be interested in business, law, or international relations.

The elementary school kids were so fun to watch. Almost all of them came from Kolter Elementary which has a magnet program for foreign languages. I chatted with their teacher at the reception afterward. Unfortunately, I didn't catch her name. Her deep attachment for her students came through. She says that they want to practice, practice, practice...and she knew every one of their speeches by heart. I think everyone there felt moved by young Texans learning Japanese. Dr. Matsumoto expressed a deep contentment. He's been a bridge in Japan-American relations for so many years. He told me he was 78 now ("No way!").

After watching all those wonderful speakers, I feel depressed about my progress. I can't imagine trying to give a speech in Japanese. (Maybe if they'd let me compete against the elementary school children--but then losing would be even more humiliating.) One of my problems is that I have a hard time talking in front of people...even in English. And to think I used to spend my days in front of a group of people speaking for a living. Well. I do like a challenge.

Posted by M Sinclair Stevens
January 22, 2005

Comments

He he I know the feeling, I actually took part in the first ever japanese speech contest in Iceland ;-P I even won a prize, but there were just about prizes for everyone :-D http://gunnella.fotopages.com/?entry=108474&back=http://gunnella.fotopages.com/?page=11

Comment by: Gunnella. Posted February 21, 2005 04:13 PM.

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