Tang Li

654030846@qq.com

The finals of the 2020 Yantian Kids & Teens English Speaking Competition were held at the Yantian Library on Sunday, with some 80 students participating in four age groups and sharing their thoughts on the topic — “Let the world get to know China.”

The competition kicked off in October. It aimed to encourage young children in Yantian District to use English to introduce Chinese culture to the world, present the vitality and developments of Yantian, and showcase the vigorous young generation of today’s China.

More than 430 students from kindergartens, primary and secondary schools in Yantian attended the competition, and were divided into four groups: kindergarten, primary low, primary high, and middle school. Each participant was required to submit a video no longer than four minutes, in which they introduce themselves and give a speech. All videos were reviewed and scored by a judge panel and 81 students were shortlisted for the finals.

During Sunday’s competition, most students focused on the introductions of traditional Chinese culture, including Chinese holidays, folk stories, Chinese traditions and Chinese food. Some talked about medical workers’ efforts in fighting against the COVID-19, and some shared their understanding of how modern technologies have changed life in China. Many young kids were dressed with traditional Chinese costumes, and some showcased their skills in playing Chinese music instruments, Chinese kung fu, paper-cutting, etc.

“The competitors of today all demonstrate a very high level of English speaking, many exceeding our expectations. The speeches are also well prepared and delivered. This shows a solid foundation of English learning among students in Yantian and their strong interests in learning and promoting Chinese culture,” according to a statement from Sunday’s panel of judges.

The competition was organized by the Yantian District Committee of the Chinese Communist Youth League, Yantian Foreign Affairs Bureau and Yantian Education Bureau, and was co-organized by the Yantian Youth Activity Center and EF’s Yantian branch.