Tìm hiểu chiến lược giao tiếp của sinh viên ngành lễ tân và nhà hàng trong thực tập khách sạn

Khám phá chiến lược giao tiếp của sinh viên ngành lễ tân và nhà hàng tại trường cao đẳng nghề du lịch Huế trong thực tập khách sạn.

• Tác giả: Đỗ Thị Ninh Thuận
• Người hướng dẫn: T. Tôn Nữ Như Hương
• Trường học: Hue University College of Foreign Languages
• Chuyên ngành: Front Office and Restaurant Service
• Đề tài: Chiến Lược Giao Tiếp Hiệu Quả Của Sinh Viên Ngành Lễ Tân Tại Huế
• Loại tài liệu: ma thesis
• Năm xuất bản: 2011
• Địa điểm: Huế

Mục lục chi tiết

• STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• 1. CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
• 1.1. Background of the study and the need of the study
• 1.2. Research purposes
• 1.3. Research questions
• 1.4. Research significance
• 1.5. The scope of the study
• 1.6. The structure of the thesis
• 2. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
• 2.1. The importance of communication strategies
• 2.2. The classification of communication strategies
• 2.2.1. The product-oriented approach
• 2.2.2. The process-oriented approach
• 2.3. Recent related works by researchers
• 2.4. Vietnamese students of Tourism and their characteristics
• 2.5. Vietnamese students' background and English competence
• 2.6. In-depth interview
• 4. CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
• 4.1. Students' awareness of communication strategies
• 4.2. Do students learn communication strategies at college?
• 4.3. Students' perception about the necessity of communication strategies
• 4.4. Students' awareness of the usefulness of communication strategies to their English speaking skill
• 4.5. Students' perception about the role of communication strategies
• 4.6. Types of communication strategies used by the students
• 4.7. The most frequently-used strategies
• 4.8. The communication strategies helping students communicate effectively
• 4.9. The frequency of using communication strategies
• 4.10. The frequency of communicating with English-speaking customers during the internship
• 4.11. The frequency of using communication strategies when speaking with foreign customers
• 4.12. The advantages of using communication strategies
• 4.13. The conditions helping students use the communication strategies effectively
• 4.14. The effectiveness of using communication strategies
• 4.15. The disadvantages of using communication strategies
• 4.16. The difficulties that the students met while communicating with English-speaking customers
• 4.17. The solutions by the students when failing to reply to the customers
• 4.18. The difficulties that the students met when using communication strategies
• 4.19. The students' responses when facing those difficulties
• 4.20. The customers' reactions when students failed to use the communication strategies effectively
• 4.21. The suggestions to improve students' speaking skills by using communication strategies
• 5. CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS
• 5.1. For the Director Board of Hue Tourism College
• 5.2. Contribution of the study
• 5.3. Suggestions for further studies
• APPENDICES

Tóm tắt

I. Tổng quan về chiến lược giao tiếp hiệu quả của sinh viên ngành lễ tân tại Huế

Chiến lược giao tiếp là một yếu tố quan trọng trong việc nâng cao kỹ năng giao tiếp của sinh viên ngành lễ tân tại Huế. Đặc biệt, trong bối cảnh ngành du lịch đang phát triển mạnh mẽ, việc trang bị cho sinh viên những kỹ năng giao tiếp hiệu quả là rất cần thiết. Nghiên cứu này sẽ khám phá các chiến lược giao tiếp mà sinh viên áp dụng trong thực tập tại các khách sạn.

1.1. Khái niệm về chiến lược giao tiếp trong ngành lễ tân

Chiến lược giao tiếp được định nghĩa là các phương pháp mà sinh viên sử dụng để tương tác với khách hàng. Điều này bao gồm việc sử dụng ngôn ngữ cơ thể, từ vựng phù hợp và các kỹ năng lắng nghe.

1.2. Tầm quan trọng của giao tiếp trong ngành du lịch

Giao tiếp hiệu quả không chỉ giúp sinh viên thể hiện bản thân mà còn tạo ấn tượng tốt với khách hàng. Theo nghiên cứu, kỹ năng giao tiếp tốt có thể nâng cao trải nghiệm của khách hàng và tăng cường sự hài lòng.

II. Thách thức trong giao tiếp của sinh viên ngành lễ tân tại Huế

Sinh viên ngành lễ tân thường gặp nhiều thách thức trong giao tiếp, đặc biệt là khi tương tác với khách hàng nước ngoài. Những khó khăn này có thể ảnh hưởng đến hiệu quả công việc và sự tự tin của sinh viên.

2.1. Rào cản ngôn ngữ và văn hóa

Nhiều sinh viên gặp khó khăn trong việc hiểu và sử dụng ngôn ngữ của khách hàng. Sự khác biệt về văn hóa cũng có thể dẫn đến hiểu lầm trong giao tiếp.

2.2. Thiếu tự tin khi giao tiếp

Nhiều sinh viên cảm thấy thiếu tự tin khi phải giao tiếp với khách hàng nước ngoài. Điều này có thể làm giảm khả năng sử dụng các chiến lược giao tiếp hiệu quả.

III. Phương pháp giao tiếp hiệu quả cho sinh viên ngành lễ tân

Để cải thiện kỹ năng giao tiếp, sinh viên cần áp dụng các phương pháp giao tiếp hiệu quả. Những phương pháp này không chỉ giúp họ tự tin hơn mà còn nâng cao khả năng phục vụ khách hàng.

3.1. Sử dụng ngôn ngữ cơ thể

Ngôn ngữ cơ thể đóng vai trò quan trọng trong giao tiếp. Sinh viên nên chú ý đến cử chỉ, ánh mắt và tư thế để tạo sự thân thiện và chuyên nghiệp.

3.2. Lắng nghe chủ động

Lắng nghe chủ động giúp sinh viên hiểu rõ hơn nhu cầu của khách hàng. Điều này không chỉ giúp giải quyết vấn đề mà còn tạo sự kết nối tốt hơn.

IV. Ứng dụng thực tiễn của chiến lược giao tiếp trong thực tập

Việc áp dụng các chiến lược giao tiếp trong thực tập là rất quan trọng. Sinh viên cần thực hành thường xuyên để cải thiện kỹ năng và tự tin hơn trong giao tiếp với khách hàng.

4.1. Thực hành giao tiếp trong môi trường thực tế

Thực tập tại các khách sạn là cơ hội để sinh viên áp dụng những gì đã học. Họ có thể thực hành giao tiếp với khách hàng và nhận phản hồi để cải thiện.

4.2. Đánh giá hiệu quả giao tiếp

Sinh viên cần tự đánh giá khả năng giao tiếp của mình sau mỗi lần tương tác với khách hàng. Điều này giúp họ nhận ra điểm mạnh và điểm yếu để cải thiện.

V. Kết luận và triển vọng tương lai của chiến lược giao tiếp

Chiến lược giao tiếp hiệu quả là yếu tố quyết định đến thành công của sinh viên ngành lễ tân. Việc nâng cao kỹ năng này không chỉ giúp sinh viên tự tin hơn mà còn góp phần vào sự phát triển của ngành du lịch tại Huế.

5.1. Tương lai của sinh viên ngành lễ tân

Với sự phát triển của ngành du lịch, nhu cầu về nhân lực có kỹ năng giao tiếp tốt ngày càng tăng. Sinh viên cần chuẩn bị tốt để đáp ứng yêu cầu này.

5.2. Đề xuất cải thiện chương trình đào tạo

Các trường cần cải thiện chương trình đào tạo để tích hợp nhiều hơn các kỹ năng giao tiếp thực tế, giúp sinh viên tự tin hơn khi ra trường.

Trích đoạn nội dung tài liệu

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HUE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES ------ DO THI NINH THUAN AN INVESTIGATION INTO COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES USED BY STUDENTS OF FRONT OFFICE AND RESTAURANT SERVICE AT HUE TOURISM COLLEGE DURING THEIR INTERNSHIP MA THESIS IN EDUCATION HUE, 2011 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HUE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES ------ DO THI NINH THUAN AN INVESTIGATION INTO COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES USED BY STUDENTS OF FRONT OFFICE AND RESTAURANT SERVICE AT HUE TOURISM COLLEGE DURING THEIR INTERNSHIP FIELD OF STUDY: THEORY AND METHODOLOGY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING CODE: 60.10 MA THESIS IN EDUCATION SUPERVISOR: TON NU NHU HUONG, D. HUE, 2011 BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO ĐẠI HỌC HUẾ TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ ------ ĐỖ THỊ NINH THUẬN TÌM HIỂU VIỆC SỬ DỤNG CÁC CHIẾN LƯỢC GIAO TIẾP CỦA SINH VIÊN NGÀNH LỄ TÂN VÀ NHÀ HÀNG TRƯỜNG CAO ĐẲNG NGHỀ DU LỊCH HUẾ TRONG THỜI GIAN THỰC TẬP KHÁCH SẠN CHUYÊN NGÀNH: LÝ LUẬN VÀ PHƯƠNG PHÁP DẠY - HỌC MÔN TIẾNG ANH MÃ SỐ: 60.10 LUẬN VĂN THẠC SĨ GIÁO DỤC NGƯỜI HƯỚNG DẪN KHOA HỌC: T. TÔN NỮ NHƯ HƯƠNG HUẾ, 2011 STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I hereby acknowledge that this study is mine. The data and findings discussed in the thesis are true, used with permission from associates and have not been published elsewhere.

Author Do Thi Ninh Thuan First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor, Dr Ton Nu Nhu Huong for her enthusiasm, inspiration and great efforts to make things clearly and simply. Throughout my thesis- writing period, she provided encouragement, thoughtful guidance and helpful suggestions. My thesis would not be completed without her. My special thanks go to Ms Phan Thi Bich Ngoc, Dr Hoang Quang Ngoan and Asso.

Dr Ngo Dinh Phuong, my examiners, who read my thesis and provided insightful comments and suggestions to improve it. Additionally, this thesis could not be completed without the invaluable help of students and colleagues at Hue Tourism College, who helped me, collect the data for the research. Moreover, I am grateful to the teachers of our MA course for their advice and recommendation to improve my research proposal. Moreover, I wish to thank my entire family, my husband for providing love, care, encouragement and understanding.

Without their support, I would not have been able to finish my thesis. Lastly, I wish to thank my dear parents who raised me, taught me, supported me and loved me. I received the great support from them during the period of doing research. TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Pages SUB COVER PAGE STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS .4 LIST OF TABLES .5 LIST OF FIGURES.6 LIST OF APPENDICES.

Background of the study and the need of the study. The scope of the study. The structure of the thesis .13 CHAPTER 2 - LITERATURE REVIEW. The importance of communication strategies.

The classification of communication strategies. The product-oriented approach. The process-oriented approach. Recent related works by researchers.

Vietnamese students of Tourism and their characteristics. Vietnamese students‟ background and English competence. In-depth interview .39 CHAPTER 4 – FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION. Students‟ awareness of communication strategies.

Do students learn communication strategies at college?. Students‟ perception about the necessity of communication strategies. Students‟ awareness of the usefulness of communication strategies to their English speaking skill. Students‟ perception about the role of communication strategies.

Types of communication strategies used by the students. The most frequently-used strategies. The communication strategies helping students communicate effectively. The frequency of using communication strategies.

The frequency of communicating with English-speaking customers during the internship. The frequency of using communication strategies when speaking with foreign customers. The advantages of using communication strategies. The conditions helping students use the communication strategies effectively.

The effectiveness of using communication strategies. The disadvantages of using communication strategies. The difficulties that the students met while communicating with English-speaking customers. The solutions by the students when failing to reply to the customers.

The difficulties that the students met when using communication strategies. The students‟ responses when facing those difficulties. The customers‟ reactions when students failed to use the communication strategies effectively. The suggestions to improve students‟ speaking skills by using communication strategies .68 CHAPTER 5 – CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS.

For the Director Board of Hue Tourism College. Contribution of the study. Suggestions for further studies .79 APPENDICES 3 ABBREVIATION CSs : Communication strategies HUTC : Hue Tourism College CLT : Communicative Language Teaching % : Percentage 4 LIST OF TABLES Table 4. The usefulness of communication strategies.

The role of communication strategies. The difficulties that the students met when using communication strategies. 64 5 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 4. Do students learn communication strategies at college?.

The necessity of communication strategies. The most frequently-used strategies. The communication strategies helping students communicate effectively. The frequency of communicating with English-speaking customers.

The frequency of using communication strategies. The conditions helping students use the CSs effectively. The effectiveness of using communication strategies. The difficulties that the students met while communicating with English-speaking customers.

The students‟ responses when facing those difficulties. The customers‟ reactions when students failed to use the communication strategies effectively .66 6 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix 1A: questionnaire for students Appendix 1B: questionnaire for students (Vietnamese version) Appendix 1C: questionnaire results for students Appendix 2A: interview questions for students Appendix 2B: interview results for students Appendix 3A: interview questions for teachers Appendix 3B: interview results for teachers 7 ABSTRACT This research paper investigates the use of communication strategies by the students of Front Office and Restaurant Service at Hue Tourism College (HUTC) during their internship at hotels. It aims to explore what communications are employed by the students, how often these strategies are used, what difficulties the students have when using these communication strategies and what should be done to improve their speaking skill through the use of communication strategies. The participants of this study are the third-year students whose majors are Front Office and Restaurant Service at HUTC.

The data for this research are collected and analyzed based both on quantitative and qualitative approaches through questionnaires and interviews. The findings reveal that most of the students are aware of the importance of communication strategies. During their internship, they did not often employ communication strategies although they met a lot of problems in communication. Among the strategies, miming was the most frequently-used and effective.

However, the students had some difficulties in using these strategies for different reasons. Based on the findings, suggestions are drawn for the improvement of students‟ speaking skills by using communication strategies and for the integration of communication strategies in teaching. Much effort has been put forth by the researcher with the hope of contributing to the improvement of communication skills in English. Background of the study and the need of the study The more developed the society is, the higher the people‟s demand for communication.

In reality, the language users do not always communicate with their partners in a smooth way without any difficulties. Sometimes they may not understand or cannot find the way to express what they mean easily. Sometimes the conversation breaks down because of the misunderstanding between the speaker and the listener. What do people do when they meet such problems? What do they do to keep the conversation going? In these cases, they need a “brocade bag of last resorts”- communication strategies.

The literature shows that communication strategies are important for language learners in that they help learners develop speaking skills. With the development of communicative language teaching (CLT) as the “new and innovative way to teach English as a second language” (Savignon, 2002:3), communication strategies have become an essential concept in second language acquisition (Marton, 1988). Located in Central Vietnam, Hue is a centre of culture and tourism of the country. According to Phan Tien Dung, the Director of Thua Thien Hue Department of Culture-Sports and Tourism, Hue is currently one of the most interesting tourist attractions of Vietnam.

The number of tourists visiting Hue City in 2010 is estimated to 1,500,000; among them, there are 800,000 foreign visitors. The team who is serving tourists is required to be equipped with good knowledge and skills for communication because every day they need to make every effort to satisfy customers with good service quality. Good communication skills can facilitate the tourism staff to communicate effectively with their customers. Effectual communication engages the choice of the best communication channel, the presentation of information to the interlocutor, and 9 the skill to understand responses received from others.

However, in reality, the communicators sometimes have problems and in these situations, communication strategies are very necessary. According to Rubin (1981, 1987, cited in Avall and Taki, 2009), communication strategies are used by speakers when they encounter a difficulty in their communication because of the inadequate knowledge of the language. Wannaruk (2003:1) stresses the role of communication strategies by arguing that they are „important in helping L2 learners to communicate successfully when they are faced with a problem in speech production‟. Stewart and Pearson (1995) declare that communication strategies form an important part of a speaker‟s linguistic ability.

The increasing number of tourists requires good service from the hospitality industry. However, more than half of the labourers working in tourism industry do not speak any foreign languages (Thuy Hoa, 2011). Thuy (ibid) states that this has been a very big limitation of Vietnam Tourism. She also adds, “It can be said that the foreign language background is an extremely necessary tool for those who serve international tourists.” With the purpose of training the human resources for the tourism industry of Thua Thien Hue province and the Central region, the schools of tourism in Hue are responsible for producing qualified students and providing them with professional skills as well as cultivating professional attitude for these students.

Tourism students need to be provided with work-based learning experience with meaningful jobs during their placements (Nguyen, 2009). They are also the future human source for the tourism industry. According to Vu (2011), a great number of students of tourism can not communicate well with foreign customers when they graduate. Some of them, despite the good knowledge of vocabulary and grammar, are not confident enough to express their ideas in English.

The raised question is what the students normally do in these cases, whether they are aware of the importance of using communication strategies and how communication strategies are used by them in such situations. The above theoretical and practical 10 background is the reason that has encouraged me to choose the topic for my research “An investigation into communication strategies used by students of Front Office and Restaurant Service at Hue Tourism College during their internship”. This study is carried out with the hope of raising awareness of students of Tourism of the importance of communication strategies use and enhancing their communicative skills. Research purposes This study aims to:  Investigate the perception of the third-year students of Front office and Restaurant Service at Hue Tourism College (HUTC) of the use of communication strategies in their service of foreign customers in their internship in order to raise students‟ awareness of the importance of communication strategies in communication.

 Find out what communication strategies are used by these students in dealing with customers in order to focus on the most frequently-used strategies for the teaching of these.  Find out whether communication strategies are taught at college and how often students use these strategies in order to check whether the students take advantage of using the communication strategies.  Identify the effectiveness of the use of communication strategies for students‟ work experience in order to find solutions to help students overcome difficulties in communication.