Teaching the English of Tourism

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Teaching the English of Tourism

• Robin Walker
• Escuela Universitaria de Turismo de Asturias,
  Oviedo, Spain
• walker_at_fade.es

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1) Course constraints

• Who is the sponsor/institution?
• Where will the teaching take place?
• What resources are available?
• Time and timing of course?
• What is the purpose of learning?
• Who are the learners?

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1) Course setting - EU de Turismo de Asturias
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2) The learners - experience and goals
16 FE college students Waiters, hotel
receptionists, guides, travel agency staff
18 University diploma/degree Hotel managers,
resort managers, public sector planners, etc.
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2) The learners - establishing a profile

• Age, nationality mother tongue?
• Motivation?
• Attitude towards sponsor/teaching institution?
• Experience/Knowledge of professional field?
• Level of English?
• Aptitude for learning English?
• Experience of learning English?

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2) The learners - two broad profiles
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2) The learners - EUTA learner profiles
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3) Course contents and organisation

• Source materials
• travel writing, guidebooks
• brochures, forms, publicity
• reports, memos, training manuals

• b) Selection organisation
• language-based
• topic-based
• meaningful context
• language covered language needed
• integrates language knowledge
• no up-front repetition of grammar

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3) Course contents and organisation

• Topic-based syllabi
• cyclical
• driven by non-language subjects
• chronological (provision, encounters, managers)
• Provision, Encounters, Managers
• Level 1 - tourism, tour operation, travel
  agencies, accommodation, transport
• Level 2 - hotels, catering, tourist
  information, tourist attractions, ancillary
  services
• Level 3 - impacts of tourism, social tourism,
  sustainable tourism, future of tourism

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3) Course contents and organisation

• Provision in Tourism (Level 1)
• Tourism 1 - What is tourism? The structure of the
  industry.
• Tourism 2 - Destination geography resources.
  Tourism flows.
• Tourism 3 - Tourist tastes motivations. Market
  segments.
• Tour operation 1 - The package holiday.
  Principals. Itineraries.
• Tour operation 2 - Promotion and marketing in
  tourism.
• Travel agents 1 - The role of travel agencies.
  New customers.
• Etc.

• b) Encounters in Tourism (Level 2)
• Arrivals 1 - Touch down. Immigration Customs.
  Lost luggage.
• Arrivals 2 - Currency exchange. Airport
  transfers. Car hire.
• Reception 1 - Hotel reservations and check-in.
• Reception 2 - Giving advice. Dealing with
  problems complaints.
• Reception 3 - Check-out. Methods of payment.
  Feedback.
• Food catering 1 - Spanish cookery. Local
  dishes.
• Etc.

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4) Unit structure

• Reading listening texts
• receptive skills practice
• provide insider information
• provide model texts
• need support through learner training
• need skills through self-access

• Vocabulary
• stems from topic
• learner training
• dictionary use
• Pronunciation
• aids oral output
• Grammar
• must stem from input texts output tasks
• need grammar through self-access

• Tasks must
• reflect future language use
• be open-ended
• Written
• drafting to allow for individual language
  feedback
• Oral
• pair or small group
• recorded

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4) Unit structure

• Reading
• Scottish cookery
• optional texts on regional dishes
• strategies for dealing with new vocabulary when
  reading
• Listening
• Spanish cookery
• Taking an order

• Vocabulary
• ingredients food preparation
• dictionary for P.O.S
• organising vocab.
• Pronunciation
• vowel length
• Grammar
• non-defining relatives
• use of that

• Written
• introduction to food of Spanish region
  (presentation as web page / leaflet)
• Oral
• roleplay - explaining the menu taking an order

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Course constraints
Learner profiles
Course contents organisation
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Robin Walker Teaching the English of
Tourism E.U. de Turismo de Asturias walker_at_fade.e
s