SPEECH FESTIVAL: My Baby Brother’s Secrets – John Foster

Speech 2012 Festival Poem: My Baby Brother’s Secrets – John Foster

This video is a pronunciation guide for the Hong Kong 2012 Speech Festival poems – it is to demonstrate articulation only, performers should decide on how to deliver the poem!

My Baby Brother’s Secrets

When my baby brother
wants to tell me a secret,
He comes right up close.
But instead of putting his lips
against my ear,
he presses his ear
tightly against my ear.
Then, he whispers so softly
that I can’t hear
a word he’s saying.
My baby brother’s secrets
are safe with me.

Here are a few useful tips…

• Make sure you understand your poem. Ask for help if there are any words you don’t know. Think about when and where the poem is set. What is the message? The meaning?
• Try to find out about the author.
• Make sure you can remember your poem well. Read it aloud, practice at home, write it down and learn it line-by-line, piece-by-piece. Perform your poem for your mom, dad, helper, grandparents, cat, dog, me – anyone who will listen.
• Use expression and intonation carefully. This means you should show some emotion and use your voice to match your poem. Express the exciting parts, sad parts and happy parts. However, don’t get over-excited and try to keep your body and hands still – most judges do not like actions or body language.
• Take breaks, relax, don’t be nervous. Take a deep breath before reading!
• Go to howjsay.com for help with pronunciation or download this video as an MP3 to your computer/ipod/phone.
• Find more tips and advice here: http://bit.ly/R0nVwJ and here.

Below is a 2010 presentation on the Hong Kong Speech Festival, shared with permission from HKU’s Gary Harfitt…

Good luck!

– Mr Tom.