2026 UAAT Mandarin Speech Contest

Hosted By: The UAAT Mandarin Education Program Liaison Office and The Center for East Asian & Pacific Studies

The 2026 UAAT Mandarin Speech Contest welcomes young Mandarin learners to join in on an upcoming community event. If you are interested in building confidence in public speaking and meeting other Mandarin learners, we'd love for you to register. 
We warmly welcome attendees of different ages and Mandarin backgrounds from Central Illinois to participate.

Registration link HERE

Event Information 

• Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026 
• Time: 10:00 AM – 1:30 PM 
• Venue: Levis Faculty Center, Room 210 
• Registration Deadline:  March 18, 2026 

A detailed itinerary will be sent to all attendees at least one week before the contest via email. 

Eligibility and Contest Groups 

The contest is open to both heritage and non-heritage speakers. There will be four contest groups in total: 

1. K–5, Heritage Speakers 
2. K–5, Non-Heritage Speakers 
3. Middle & High School, Heritage Speakers 
4. Middle & High School, Non-Heritage Speakers 

Definition of Heritage status: 
1. Heritage Speaker: At least one parent or guardian regularly speaks Mandarin at home 
2. Non-Heritage Speaker: Parents or guardians do not speak Mandarin at home 

Please note: 
1. If the participant is found to be registered in an incorrect category, the organizer reserves the right to disqualify the participant. 
2. If fewer than 3 participants register for a group, groups may be merged. 
3. If the total number of registrations exceeds capacity, participants will be notified by the organizer.  

Contest Rules  

1. Speech topics 
   Participants should prepare their speech based on the assigned topic for their group. 
    
   ● K–5 Group (both heritage and non-heritage speakers):  
      "學中文，真有趣 " (Learning Mandarin Is a Lot of Fun)  
    
   ● Middle & High School Group (both heritage and non-heritage speakers):  
      "一個難忘的文化體驗/活動" (A Memorable Cultural Experience/Event) 
    

1. Speech length: 2–3 minutes.  
   Speeches that are significantly under or over the time limit may receive a score deduction. 
2. No script allowed on stage. 
   Participants may not bring a written script or notes onto the stage.  
3. Original content required. 
   Speeches must be original and may not be copied from published materials or online sources.  
4. All speeches must be delivered in Mandarin.

Judging Criteria 

Speeches will be evaluated by judges based on the following criteria: 

1. Pronunciation & Tones – 30% 
2. Fluency – 20% 
3. Language Use – 20% 
4. Content – 20% 
5. Stage Presence – 10% 

Awards 

1. The top 3 winners in each group will receive an award:
   ●  First Place: Award certificate & special prizes 
   ●  Second and Third Place: Award certificate 
2. All attendees will receive a Certificate of Participation and Taiwanese-themed souvenirs. 

Lunch 

Free lunch will be provided.  
A Taiwanese-style cuisine will be provided at the end of the contest for all contest attendees and their guests. Your presence makes this event a true community gathering, we hope you can stay and join us!