ARIZONA: Beginning in 2010, the ASU Confucius Institute has organized and sponsored a Chinese Speech Competition for secondary school students at the ASU Language Fair. The competition is divided into three levels: Novice Mid (1 year of Chinese), Novice High (2-3 years of Chinese), and Intermediate (3rd year or above). Novice Mid students typically recite a poem or a short self-introduction while Novice High students present another author’s 3-4 minute story or short prose, and Intermediate students usually recite their own 4-5 minute prose or story. Each performance reflects the studious dedication of students and their increasing proficiency and familiarity with Chinese language and culture.
