Tourism students' needs in English language proficiency

IDENTIFYING UITM PENANG FACULTY OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT AND TOURISM STUDENTS' NEEDS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

(VERBAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS)

INSTITUT PENGURUSAN PENYELIDIKAN UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA 40450 SHAH ALAM, SELANGOR

MALAYSIA

PREPARED BY:

FARINA NOZAKIAH TAZIJAN SUZANA AB. RAHIM

AZNIZAH HUSSIN

DEC 2009

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IDENTIFYING UITM PENANG FACULTY OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT AND TOURISM STUDENTS' NEEDS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

(VERBAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS)

PREPARED BY:

FARINA NOZAKIAH TAZIJAN SUZANA AB. RAHIM

AZNIZAH HUSSIN

DEC 2009

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Surat Kami : 600-UiTMPP (URDC:5/2/267) Tarikh : 15Ogos2008

mmmmm UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

PEJABAT PENGARAH

Farina Nozakiah Tazijan Akademi Pengajian Bahasa Universiti Teknologi MARA Pulau Pinang

Jalan Permatang Pauh 13500 Permatang Pauh Pulau Pinang

Tel : 04-3823441 (RMU)/3822706(AM) Faks: 04-3822812 email: yusli662@ppinang. uitm. edu. my

Puan,

KELULUSAN PERMOHONAN UNTUK MENJALANKAN PROJEK PENYELIDIKAN Dl BAWAH SKIM DANA KECEMERLANGAN

Perkara di atas adalah dirujuk.

Sukacita dimaklumkan permohonan puan untuk menjalankan penyelidikan telah dinilai dalam Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Teknikal Unit Pengurusan Penyelidikan (RMU) Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Kampus Pulau Pinang yang telah diadakan pada 2 Julai 2008. Butiran permohonan yang dinilai adalah seperti berikut:

Ketua Projek Ahli Projek

Tajuk Penyelidikan

Keputusan

Tempoh

Farina Nozakiah Tazijan Suzana Abd. Rahim Aznizah Hussin

identifying UiTM Penang Faculty Of Hotel Management And Tourism Students': Needs In English Language Proficiency

Diluluskan dengan peruntukan RM 2,500.00

September 2008 - Oktober 2009

Berikut disertakan dokumen-dokumen untuk panduan dan tindakan pihak puan selanjutnya.

1. Perjanjian bagi menjalankan Projek Penyelidikan, sila isi dan kembalikan kepada pihak kami untuk ditandatangani oleh pihak seterusnya.

2. Borang laporan kemajuan yang perlu dikemukakan kepada pihak kami setiap empat (4) bulan.

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Sehubungan dengan itu, pihak kami berharap agar perlaksanaan projek ini akan berjalan sebagaimana dijadualkan. Semoga usaha puan akan membawa RMU ke arah kecemerlangan akademik yang diharapkan.

Sekian, terima kasih

Yang menjalankan ti

(PROF. MADYA MOHD ZAKI BIN ABDULLAH) Pengarah Kampus UiTM Cawangan Pulau Pinang

s.k> i) Penolong Naib Canselor Institut Pengurusan Penyelidikan (RMI) UiTM Malaysia

ii) Timbalan Pengarah HEA UiTM Kampus Pulau Pinang

iii) Penolong Bendahari UiTM Kampus Pulau Pinang

iv) Koordinatoor Unit Pengurusan Penyelidikan(RMU)

v) Fail Peribadi

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Tarikh : 30 DIS 2009 No. Fail Projek : 600-UiTMPP (URDC: 5/2/267)

Penolong Naib Canselor (Penyelidikan) Institut Penglirusan Penyelidikan (RMI) UiTM, Shah Alam

Puan,

LAPORAN AKHIR PENYELIDIKAN IDENTIFYING UITM PENANG FACULTY OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT AND TOURISM STUDENTS' NEEDS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY (VERBAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS) Merujuk kepada perkara di atas, bersama-sama ini disertakan 4 (empat) naskah dan 1 (satu) CD (softcopy) Laporan Akhir Penyelidikan bertajuk Identifying Uitm Penang Faculty Of Hotel Management And Tourism Students' Needs In English Language Proficiency (Verbal Communication Skills) oleh kumpulan Penyelidik dan Akademi Pengajian Bahasa untuk makluman pihak puan,

Sekian, terima kasih.

Yang benar,

FApflNA NdzAKIAH^TAZIJAN Ketua Projek Penyelidikan

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KUMPULAN PENYELIDIK

FARINA NOZAKIAH TAZIJAN KETUA PROJEK

Tandatangan

SUZANA AB. RAHIM Ahli

"""""TVtf -Try) > ? / K ^ - . Tandatangan

AZNIZAH HUSSIN Ahli

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PENGHARGAAN

Setinggi-tinggi penghargaan dan ribuan terima kasih diucapkan kepada semua pihak yang terlibat secara langsung dan tidak langsung bagi membolehkan penyelidikan ini disiapkan dengan sempurna.

Diantaranya :

Prof. Madya Mohd Zaki Abdullah (Pengarah Kampus UiTM Pulau Pinang)

Dr. Nor Aziah Bakhari (Koordinator Pengurusan Penyelidikan UiTM Pulau Pinang)

dan

Semua yang telah memberikan kerjasama dan sokongan di dalam menjayakan penyelidikan ini

i

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LIST OF CONTENT

Acknowledgement List of Content List of Tables List of Figures Abstract

Chapter 1

1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4

Introduction Background of study Problem Statement Objective Limitation of the study

Chapter 2

2.0 2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

Introduction The Importance of Communication skills amongst Undergraduates Needs Analysis and English for Specific Purposes Empirical Research on Needs Analysis and Working Environment Relevance of Communication Skills for the Front Office Assistants

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LIST OF CONTENT

Chapter 3

3.0 Introduction

3.1 Methodology

3.2 Respondents

Chapter 4

4.0 Introduction

4.1 Presentation and Analysis of data

4.2 The Managers' Perceptions On The Needs Of Communication Skills For Practising Hotel Front Office Assistants

4.3 Managers' Rate Of Intern's Ability In Verbal Communication Skills

4.4 Managers' View Of The Importance Of Verbal Communication Skills For Front Office Assistants

4.5 The Interns' Perception On Their Ability In Verbal Communication Skills

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LIST OF CONTENT PAGE

PAGE

4.6 The Interns' Rate On The Relevance Of Verbal Communication Skills For Front Office Assistants 29

4.7 Conclusion 32

Chapter 5 5.0 Introduction 34 5.1 Principal Findings 34 5.2 Recommendations for further research 3 7

References 39

Appendices 44

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 - Managers' Rate Of Interns' Ability In

Verbal Communication Skills

Table 2 -Managers' View Of The Importance Of

Verbal Communication Skills For Hotel

Front -Office Assistants

Table 3- The Interns' Perception On Their Ability In

Verbal Communication Skills

Table 4 - The Interns5 Rate On The Relevance Of

Verbal Communication Skills To The Hotel

Front-Office Assistant

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LIST OF FIGURES PAGE

Figure 1: Venn diagram of Communication Skills 15 (Mehta and Mehta 2007)

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ABSTRACT

There is a need to expose the learners in the hospitality industry to real workplace

requirement in terms of communication skills. In view of its importance, human resource

managers, researchers and educators in the field of hospitality management or the hotel

practitioners have to pay more serious attention to it. Thus, it is pertinent that both

employers and potential employees have a consensus on what are to be instilled in the

learners as this would prepare them for the actual hotel reception practices which in

particular are the verbal communication skills. This study looks at both the employers'

and employees' perceptions and expectations of the communication skills required by the

profession. A needs analysis in the form of a questionnaire, distributed to the hotel

managers and the interns involved help to identify the verbal communication skills that

the interns seem to require. The results highlight the views of employers in identifying

the needs and lacks of the interns under their supervision. In bridging the gap of

communication skills expected by the hospitality industry and the competence or ability

of the interns, it is of priority that the lacks and needs of these interns be looked into. This

study also has identified the students' perceptions of their language needs, wants and

lacks in the verbal communication skills so as to prepare them for their real world

workplace requirement This knowledge is hoped to assist the curriculum designers in

producing future hotel manageffient professionals that can function effectively at their

workplace.

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CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

This chapter discusses on the background of the study, problem statement

and limitation of the study.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Due to the longstanding system implemented in government institutes of

education, graduates are consistently taught the ropes of hard skills, encompassing of

technical and administrative knowledge. The Education Ministry in its National

Education Blueprint 2006-2011 aimed was to create human capital suitable for a future

workforce. It will now embark on educational programmes that would include curriculum

and co-curricular activities that will instill knowledge, skills, cultural elements and belief

to help develop an all-rounder graduate.

This means that there is now room for soft skills training. In this global

community, the skill sets of a job candidate is increasingly crucial as employers are now

seeking for individuals who can deliver beyond what is promised on paper qualifications.

Impressive grades and other academic achievements no longer live up to the burgeoning

need for the skills to communicate lead and work in a team. Demands and expectations

across job industries are rapidly increasing.

1

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According to the findings of a Graduate Tracer Study in 2006, 30