English talent show connects residents

The Donghai Cup, an annual English talent show for children, began at Donghai City Plaza on Aug 12, aiming to provide more young children and teenagers with an opportunity to discover the fun of learning English through performance.

Co-organized by the Foreign Affairs Office of Futian district government, Xiangmihu Subdistrict Office, 1312 Advertise and Donghai Group, the English talent show invites talented kids aged 3 to 15 years old with basic, moderate or advanced-level English proficiency to participate.

The competition will last for two weeks, with two preliminary rounds held on Aug 12 and two semifinals on Aug 19. The final is scheduled for Aug 26. Candidates who stand out from the rest will be awarded with certificates and prizes, including an iPad Mini 4, a self-teaching machine or an eye-protection lamp, as well as other gifts.

The talent show functions as a platform for Chinese and expat residents to communicate and interact, especially those living in Donghai community, which is one of the city's largest expat enclaves, with thousands of foreign families choosing to reside in the community for its convenience and international environment.

The organizers of the talent show said participants will get the opportunity to communicate with English-speaking communities, thereby improving their language skills.

Three experienced English teachers, including foreign teachers, will form the judging panel for the competition this year. The competition will be divided into three parts, namely speeches, a question-and-answer session and the talent show.

Candidates will be required to give a speech in English for the first session, followed by the question-and-answer session. They will then demonstrate their talent, such as singing, playing instruments, dancing or voice-overs, in the second session. The organizing committee will assist candidates in preparing props, but the candidates must pay for all of the materials or rental fees.

Shenzhen Daily provided the story.

(HK Edition 08/18/2017 page21)