Academic and Occupational English Needs of Tourism and Hotel Management Students. Oral Communication Skills in Focus

Master's Thesis , 2017 , 132 Pages , Grade: 3.97 on a 4.0 scale

Didactics for the subject English - Pedagogy, Literature Studies

The purpose of this study was to identify the oral communication skills that Tourism and Hotel Management students (THMS) at Haramaya University need for their academic and career purposes. Particularly, this study aimed to assess the value of specific oral communication skills within occupational contexts, identify oral communication problems of THMS and explore the communicative events that arise during oral interactions. To attain the objectives, this research employed cross-sectional survey design and explanatory method for data analysis. The practitioners’ questionnaire was distributed to 110 tourism and hospitality guest-facing practitioners, and THMS (n=70) filled in THMS’ questionnaire. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 3 subject area lecturers. The quantitative data were processed by using SPSS 20 while the qualitative ones were coded based on semantic affinity for analysis.

The study revealed that listening skills such as comprehending colloquial and idiomatic expressions, understanding guests’ multifarious English accents, recognizing meaning shift because of change in intonation and stress are worthwhile for THMS’ prospective careers in tourism and hospitality sector. Effective communication with guests on the phone, clear and direct speech, interpretation without meaning distortion and appropriate responses to guests’ requests and complaints were found to be equally important speaking skills. Similarly, eye-contact, facial expressions, gesture, tone and pitch volume were found to be the salient non-verbal communication behaviors that should comply with the communicative contexts during oral interactions. The research indicated that most THMS lacked spoken production skills, spoken interaction skills and nonverbal communication skills. It also showed that the communicative events that arise during oral communication in occupational and academic contexts require THMS to have good command of oral proficiency. Therefore, it can be concluded that THMS’ current oral proficiency may adversely affect their academic performance and employability skills. Based on the findings, the researcher recommends oral communication trainings that can enhance THMS’ academic involvements and employability skills, and the inclusion of oral communication courses in THM curriculum for prospective use.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Chapter One: Introduction
• 1.1 Background of the Study
• 1.2 Statement of the Problem
• 1.3 Objectives of the Study
• 1.4 Research Questions
• 1.5 Significance of the Study
• 1.6 Scope of the Study
• 1.7 Delimitations of the Study
• 1.8 Operational Definitions
• 1.9 Organization of the Study
• Chapter Two: Review of Related Literature
• 2.1 The Need for English as a Foreign Language
• 2.2 English Language Proficiency
• 2.3 English for Specific Purposes (ESP)
• 2.4 English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
• 2.5 English for Occupational Purposes (EOP)
• 2.6 Oral Communication Skills
• 2.7 Oral Communication Skills in the Tourism and Hotel Management Industry
• 2.8 Theoretical Framework of the Study
• Chapter Three: Research Methodology
• 3.1 Research Design
• 3.2 Population and Sample
• 3.3 Sampling Techniques
• 3.4 Instrumentation
• 3.5 Data Collection Procedures
• 3.6 Data Analysis Procedures
• Chapter Four: Presentation and Interpretation of Data
• 4.1 Demographic Characteristics of Participants
• 4.2 Oral Communication Skills of THMS
• 4.3 Oral Communication Skills Needs of HPs
• 4.4 Comparison of Oral Communication Skills Needs of HPs and THMS
• 4.5 Oral Communication Skills Requirements in THM Programs
• Chapter Five: Summary, Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendations
• 5.1 Summary of Findings
• 5.2 Discussion of Findings
• 5.3 Conclusion
• 5.4 Recommendations

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This research aims to investigate the oral communication needs of Tourism and Hotel Management (THM) students and practitioners in Ethiopia. The study aims to analyze the gap between the oral communication skills required for academic success and professional careers in the THM industry. The research seeks to identify specific oral communication skills that are essential for students and practitioners in the field. The key themes explored in the thesis are:

• The importance of English language proficiency for success in the THM sector
• The specific oral communication skills needed by THM students and practitioners
• The gap between the oral communication skills taught in THM programs and those required in the industry
• The impact of oral communication skills on the professional success of THM graduates
• Recommendations for improving the teaching and learning of oral communication skills in THM programs

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter One: Introduction provides a detailed background to the research, outlining the problem, objectives, and significance of the study. It defines key terms and describes the structure of the thesis.
• Chapter Two: Review of Related Literature explores relevant concepts and theories surrounding English language proficiency, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), and the role of oral communication skills in the Tourism and Hotel Management industry.
• Chapter Three: Research Methodology outlines the research design, population, sampling techniques, instruments used, data collection procedures, and data analysis methods employed in the study.
• Chapter Four: Presentation and Interpretation of Data presents the findings of the study, analyzing the oral communication skills of THM students and the oral communication needs of HPs in the industry.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The key terms and concepts that are central to this research include: English language proficiency, oral communication skills, Tourism and Hotel Management, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), English for Academic Purposes (EAP), English for Occupational Purposes (EOP), Need Analysis, Target Situation Analysis, gap analysis, and professional success. This study explores the specific communication requirements of THM students and practitioners, highlighting the importance of developing strong oral communication skills for success in this dynamic industry.

• College: Haramaya University (School of Foreign Languages and Journalism)
• Course: Teaching English as a Foreign Language
• Grade: 3.97 on a 4.0 scale
• Author: Yeneneh Wubetu (Author)
• Publication Year: 2017
• Pages: 132
• Catalog Number: V1329059
• ISBN (PDF): 9783346820891
• ISBN (Book): 9783346820907
• Language: English
• Tags: ESP, Needs Analysis, Tourism and Hospitality English, proficiency difficulties