Week-by-week breakdown



In the Spring semester, students in the Hospitality Major will receive 1.5 hours (90 minutes) of English tuition each week.  Although this second semester (semester 2) of the academic year only allows for a single 90 minute class each week, the class IS INTENSIVE.  Students must be willing to work hard (practice hard) to gain maximum benefit.

Further, each class builds upon the one that preceded it.  This means that if you miss a class, you will be behind other students, and it is impossible to 'catch-up' as no amount of external work can compensate for the 'intensive' in-class experience.  Therefore, in this subject, you should think seriously about whether you really need to skip/miss a class.

Waking Your English Brain
Weeks 1 to 3 have been designed to 'wake-up' or activate your English brain in a new way; at least in a way that your local SLT may never have taught you before.  You will practice language connected to situations - and indeed feelings/emotions - that you are likely to encounter in a large variety of hospitality settings.

Week 1 - Is all about OPINIONS, being the expression of your opinions and listening to the opinions of others.

Week 2 - Is all about MAKING A COMPLAINT, and listening to the complaints of others.

Week 3 - Is all about HAVING AN ARGUMENT! ... To a Chinese, this always sounds 'negative', but in reality, the Western concept of argument is neutral.  Healthy argument and disagreement creates better societies.  Suppression of argument creates societal volcanoes. In any case, in all hospitality environments you will need to deal with arguments and disagreements.

Customer Service and Customer Relationships
In the 'wake-up/warm-up weeks' (weeks 1-3) you were able to discuss (in an informal 'table topic' situation) concepts and ideas about the expression of opinions, complaints and arguments; all subjects where emotion and feelings are involved.  You will now be ready to approach weeks four to 16, where these things become more real!

Weeks 4, 7, 10, and 13 - Are all about conversational English for Customer Service, covering touring (presented here as SIGHTSEEING), DINING, LODGING, and SHOPPING.

Weeks 5, 8, 11, and 14 - Are all about conversational English for Customer Relations (part of Customer Service), covering 'THE LOST TOURIST', 'THE SICK/VICTIM TOURIST', 'THE COMPLAINING TOURIST', and 'THE MISBEHAVING TOURIST'.

You will find that the subject from one week usually carries through to something relevant in the following week... For example, in week four you will discuss the subject of 'the sightseeing tourist', then in week five, you will discuss 'the lost tourist' (yes, your trainer is amazingly cool at planning this stuff!)

Some Weeks are 'Missing'
No, they are NOT! ... But I bet you wish I would forget a few weeks.

Weeks 6, 9, 12 and 15 - Are for Role Playing a given situation. 
Week 6 = The Lost Tourist, Week 9 = The Sick/Victim Tourist,
Week 12 = The Complaining Tourist, and Week 15 = The Misbehaving Tourist.

Again, one week carries through to something relevant in the following week... For example,
in week 14 you will discuss the subject of 'the misbehaving tourist',
then in week 15, you will role play 'the misbehaving tourist'.

In weeks 6, 9, 12 and 15, the groups that do the best role play will win a
box of chocolates!

Student Numbers
A note that the 'table topics' discussions (weeks 1-3) are where students will sit at their regular rectangular tables, that accommodate up to six students (although frequently, an extra student squeezes in!)  When the students do their 'small group' work (week 4 onwards), there are six groups, and up to eight students in each group...  This is where students have left their rectangular tables, and are seated in a circle (a small group).

Eight students for a small group is not exactly a 'small group', but this is a country where class sizes are very large.  Nevertheless, there are ways of getting things done:  For example, when it comes to role plays, the group of eight students needs to nominate FOUR students to role play.  Next time there is a role play, the other four will perform.  In this way, all students get to role play twice in the semester, and they will also see their group-mates role play twice.  In addition, all students get to see role plays from the other groups, being an additional 20 role plays to watch...  All this practice and exposure to English adds up.

Best wishes for the spring semester!