ESP For Tourism: English for Tourism Purposes

English for Tourism Purposes

Posted in Label: New Approach of ESP | di 18.36

A New Approach in the Field

of English for Specific Purposes

Joseph S. Cravotta

This paper introduces a new category in the ESP genre, that of English for Tourism Purposes or ETP. Learners who seek employment in the tourism and service industry need to remain highly motivated to become truly fluent in a high level of professional service language and must master English for Tourism Purposes (ETP). Various factors must be considered by educators in designing ETP curriculums, individual courses, and classroom materials which will benefit students, increase motivation, and improve language skills.

The acquisition of English for Tourism Purposes (ETP) must take into account these various factors within an international context. Hutchinson and Waters (1987) point out the ways in which spoken English and written English vary. Words, utterances, and discourse, depending on the particular context, may have various meanings and connotations. Second language speakers of English who aspire to work in the international tourism and service industry and those who wish to master English for Tourism Purposes (ETP) need to carefully consider the language they use and the context of the specific situation. Therefore, a comprehensive curriculum of practical courses is beneficial. A curriculum concerning English for the international tourism and service industry must be carefully created to suit specific learners’ needs. Indeed, English for Tourism Purposes (ETP) courses must be specifically designed people who work in the international tourism and service industry must not only be multi−lingual, they must also be multi−cultural. Exposing the learners to various cultures and increasing awareness about other cultures will aid in allowing for acceptance and respect of others.

ETP users must be familiar with and have detailed knowledge of the various cultures in which they work or from where their guests, clients, or customers hail. This will lead to significantly more effective and much better service. Learners who become fluent in ETP will be able to give proper and effective service to people from around the world in every workplace setting.

People who use English for Tourism Purposes (ETP) must make effort to maintain their fluency, accuracy, and communicative communication ability. People who work in the international tourism and service industry have the opportunity to use the target language on a daily basis. That said the fossilization of incorrect forms must be avoided. Naturally, professional, polite, service language must be mastered and maintained. Reilly (1988) points out how learners have the ability to lose their language just like everyone has the ability to acquire language. Reilly contends that an individual’s characteristics or personality, cultural factors, and the way that they learned the language in the first place are significant. Clearly, the learning of other subjects is quite different from language learning. Thanasoulas (2002) makes this very clear and substantiates much of what Reilly brings to light. The risk of losing language skills is quite high and individuals outside of school must make great effort to continue to improve. In a professional setting, such as in the international tourism and service industry, this is essential.

As tourism is a journey to see new places, experience different cultures, and obtain knowledge about the world, ‘Learning as a Journey’ corresponds closely to this. The ‘Life as a Journey’ metaphor pointed out in Lakoff and Johnson (1980) contends that learners seemed to view learning as a kind of Pilgrim’s Progress. The learner’s progress involves a journey where a series of difficulties had to be overcome to achieve a final goal. This metaphor is used to refer to progress overall and to progress in particular lessons, allowing learners to consider their sense of success and failure. Interestingly, this journey also enables them to express both their affective and cognitive feelings about the learning process and their target language (Ellis, 2002). Tourism is an eye opening experience and mastering English allows any individual to enjoy and explore the world at their own pace and in their own way. Mastering English for Tourism Purposes (ETP) provides any individual with the linguistic tools needed to travel or to work in various chosen occupations. The most important responsibility that any educator has is to provide learners with the opportunity to achieve their goals. Further research about effectively designing English for Tourism Purposes (ETP) curriculums, individual courses, and classroom materials which will benefit students, increase motivation, and improve language skills needs to continue.

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