Language Olympics

English Language Contest

The English language Contest organized every year by Regent College is kind of general rehearsal for the school-leaving exam in English. Participants can demonstrate their command of material necessary for the matura, and the victors have the chance winning of an education free of charge at Regent College, as well as of receiving an annual grant towards their studies at Regent.

We are confident that our contest will become an attractive alternative to the national English language contest. Regent College wishes to assist young persons whose ambition it is to study English language and literature, and/or those who are taking their matura examination with advanced English. That is why besides questions typical for the new matura, we have extended the grammatical section of our examination so that it offers a chance solidly to revise material for the matura-
- Marek Goerick MA, Principal of the College .

Organization

The language contest is conducted as follows:

• Stage I – in schools – consisting of a written part,
• Stage II – the final stage – consisting of a written and oral part.

Stage I

The first stage of the contest consists of a test which is taken by a pupil and which is corrected by his/her teacher according to an answer key supplied with the test. After receiving the results of this stage the Contest Committee draws up a list of the 100 best candidates who are to be admitted to the second stage of the contest.

The number of competitors in the first stage is unlimited. Any school pupil above the level of gimnazjum (junior high school) may enter, and not just pupils about to take their school-leaving examination.

Stage II

The second stage consists of a written part and an oral part. The written part is a test the level of difficulty of which is approximate to that of the tests set in recent years by Regent College for admission to the first year of studies in English language and literature.

The ten best candidates then proceed to the oral part of the II stage of the contest.

Aims

• stimulation of interest in English language and English-language culture in north-eastern Poland,
• offering additional motivation to pupils to learn English,
• providing an opportunity to assess pupils and to compare schools in the region,
• identifying the best pupils in the voivodeships of Warmia and Mazuria, Pomerania and Kujawo-Pomerania,
• testing pupils’ knowledge of the material contained in standard English-language tests.

Potential Contestants

We invite all interested pupils of schools above the level of gimnazjum (junior high school) to take part, especially those who will take their school-leaving examinations (matura) this year or next.

Requirements

Pupils taking part in the contest should demonstrate their knowledge of the linguistic material contained in the English-language matura examination. Below we offer a list of titles that may help a competitor to prepare independently for the examination. Participants in the oral part will discuss a selected topic with the examiners.

Participants in the oral part will discuss a selected topic with the examiners.

Tests

The tests used in the contest evaluate contestants’ knowledge of English-language structures and vocabulary. Communicative skills are part of the oral section of the contest.

The school level test uses standard testing techniques: transformation and paraphrasing of sentences, cloze tests, word building, and multiple choice questions.

In order to advance to the second stage, a competitor must obtain 60% of the possible points. The test at stage II is approximately as difficult as the entrance examination tests used at Regent College. Techniques of testing are as above: multiple choice questions, cloze tests etc.

Note that the Contest Committee will not refund contestants at II stage the cost of travel to and from Elbląg.

Prizes

Participants and winners receive the following prizes.

1. For the overall winner – a prize, three years free study at Regent College, and a grant of 9000 zl. (300 zł a month for the three years of study at Regent).
2. For the contestant in second place – a prize, three years free study at Regent College, and a grant of 6000 zł (200 zł a month for the three years of study at Regent).
3. For third place – a prize, three years free study at Regent College
4. Places 4-10 – a prize, one year’s free study at Regent College.
5. Places 11-20 – registration as a student at Regent College, one semester’s free study at Regent College.
6. All contestants at stage II – an English dictionary.

In addition, the schools and teachers of the best contestants receive prizes.

English Language Contest – Committee

Chair

Professor David Malcolm

Vice-chairs

dr Michael Moss, mgr Monika Szuba

Address

Komitet Olimpiady Języka Angielskiego
Regent College - Nauczycielskie Kolegium Języków Obcych w Elblągu
Specjalność: filologia angielska

ul. Królewiecka 100
82 - 300 Elbląg
tel/fax (55) 234-07-25
tel. (55) 234-07-23
olimpiada@anglistyka.edu.pl

Bibliography

1. Informator maturalny od 2005 roku - Język angielski
2. Gude K., Oxford Tests for Matura, Oxofrd University Press, Oxford 2004
3. Gryca D., Sosnowska J., Oxford Repetytorium z języka angielskiego, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2004
4. Thomson A.J., Martinet A. V., A Practical English Grammar, Oxford University Press, Oxford 1982
5. Swan M., Practical English Usage, Oxford University Press, Oxford 1995
6. Harrison M., First Certificate Skills Use of English, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2004
7. Vince M., Advanced Language Practice, Macmillan Heinemann, Oxford 1994
8. Vince M., First Certificate Language Practice, Macmillan Heinemann, Oxford 1996
9. Murphy R., English Grammar in Use, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2004
10. Hewings M., Advanced Grammar in Use, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1999
11. Krzyżanowski H., 100 Testów z Gramatyki Angielskiej, Wydawnictwo Szkolne PWN, Warszawa 2000
12. Testy przygotowujące do FCE i CAE

See also

English Language Olympics Finalists

Photo Gallery