J.LIVE Talk 2016 (Japanese Learning Inspired Vision and Engagement Talk)

Dear Japanese language students,

We would like to invite you to participate in J.LIVE Talk 2016 (short for Japanese Learning Inspired Vision and Engagement Talk), a new brand of Japanese language competition for the 21st century, launched last year at the George Washington University in Washington, DC.

J.LIVE Talk emphasizes the comprehensive range of presentation skills necessary for achieving communication in today’s increasingly interactive and multimedia world. Therefore, unlike a traditional speech contest, J.LIVE Talk evaluates not only oratory competence, but also the dynamism, vision and level of engagement of each participant’s presentation, which can include audio-visual materials, audience interaction, and other enhancement.

The contest consists of two rounds. In the preliminary round (September 1-October 13), entrants send in a 2-3 minute video answering the question “How did learning Japanese inspire you?”. This is followed by a final round, held at the George Washington University on November 13, 2016, in which each finalist gives a longer live presentation on a topic of his or her choice. The top awards include a chance to study abroad in Japan, as well as cash prizes. Please see J.Live for more details.

Applicants enter one of the three competition categories as determined by teacher recommendation (and subject to review by the selection committee), based on

“ACTFL oral proficiency guidelines 2012.”

Category I (Intermediate Low-Intermediate Mid)
Category II (Intermediate High- Advanced Low)
Category III (Advanced Mid-Advanced High)

Applicants must satisfy all basic qualifications. Heritage speakers who satisfy the basic qualification are also encouraged to apply.

Basic qualifications:

Will be registered in a Japanese-as-a-foreign-language class at undergraduate or graduate level in a 2-year college or 4-year university as of November 13, 2016 (J.LIVE Talk 2016 final round date)3
Has earned a minimum of six college level Japanese-as-a-foreign-language credits4 or the equivalent (as determined by the student’s university and subject to review by the selection committee5) by the time of application
Has not attended a full-time, secondary-level (grades 7-12) Japanese educational institution accredited by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, for 4 or more years.

Category-specific qualifications:

The following levels are determined by teacher recommendation based on the “ACTFL oral proficiency guidelines 2012” and subject to review by the selection committee.

Category I

Possesses intermediate-low to intermediate-mid level speaking proficiency

Category II

Possesses intermediate-high to advanced-low level speaking proficiency

Category III

Possesses advanced-mid to advanced-high level speaking proficiency

Please note that the selection committee reserves the right to place a contestant in a different category based on the committee’s evaluation of his/her YouTube video submission, and/or Skype interview to be conducted if necessary.

In the event there are not enough successful applicants in Category III, the selection committee will merge Category III into II.

If there are extenuating circumstances that make it impossible for you to be enrolled in a Japanese class in Fall 2016, please contact us by email and explain your situation. The Executive Committee will determine your eligibility on a case-by-case basis.

Calculated based on a semester system.

For instance, AP Japanese Language and Culture course credits officially accepted by a college/university may be counted as college-level Japanese-as-a-foreign-language credits.

We look forward to your application to your application to J.LIVE Talk 2016 at GWU!

J.LIVE Talk 2016
Japanese Program
East Asian Languages and Literatures
The George Washington University
801 22nd Street, NW, Washington, DC 20052
Phone: 202-994-7106, Fax: 202-994-1512
Email: JLIVE2016gwu@gmail.com
Website: http://www.JLIVEtalk.com