LV EN RU DE FR

Professional German II

Course developers

Prior knowledge

ValoP273, Professional German I

Replaced course

Valo2043 [GVAL2043] Professional German II

Course abstract

The study course includes coverage of the knowledge and skills needed for future specialists to succeed in their professional careers, whilst working in the field of catering and hotel entrepreneurship and developing business communication in German with foreign guests, colleagues and cooperation partners. It focuses on professional vocabulary building; the operational activities of catering enterprises, hotels and travel companies; customers’ needs. The study process is based on the content and language integrated learning (CLIL) approach.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Students know terms from the field of: professional information and terminology in the English language; they have knowledge of the language use in various branches of design.
Students are able to apply professional terminology and skills: in writing essays, business letters; orally in discussions, dialogues, role plays, giving a presentation.
The assessment according to the 10 point scale

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Introduction to the tourism industry, elements of tourism. Types of transport. Related terminology.
2. Water transport, cruise ship. Air transport, airport – facilities and services. Top airports in the world.
3. Basic forms of tourism – domestic, inbound, outbound.
4. Domestic tourism, tourism in Latvia.
5. Students presentation, discussion.
6. Kinds of tourism resources - natural, historical, cultural resources. Test.
7. Tour operators. Mass market tour operators. Designing of “package tour”, “inclusive tour”.
8. Work and career in the tourism industry. Holiday representative. Types of reps and their job descriptions.
9. Tourism types / forms according to motivations. The 21st century trends in tourism.
10. Niche tourism versus mass tourism. Food / culinary tourism.
11. Students presentation, discussion.
12. Travel agencies, their everyday duties and responsibilities. Tourists information centre, everyday duties and responsibilities. Communication with the customer.
Writing assignments. Filling in a booking form; a questionnaire for a customers’ survey; a bill an activity programme. Test.
13. The World Tourism Organization, its function, members, and activities. Global Code of Ethics for Tourism.
14. World’s geographical regions. European Union, its definition, regions, member states, countries, nationalities, languages
15. Cultural awareness. Cross-cultural communication and misunderstandings.
16. Students presentation, discussion.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Assessment: Examination.
The examination consists of:
• The terminology test;
• The presentation.
A student is admitted to the examination if there are:
2 successfully written tests, students’ individual assignments (home reading ~15,000 printed marks, presentation), homework handed in on time. Class attendance 80%.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

1. 2 terminology tests - to evaluate students’ knowledge on the terminology used in catering and tourism industry
2. Individual assignment – independently chosen professional text – 15,000 printed marks, a written summary- translation of 20 terms, definitions of 20 terms, an oral translation of some parts of the text, a presentation ~ 8 minutes long.
3. Pair or group work presentations on a topic related to the study course.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The examination grade is calculated as an arithmetic mean of grades obtained in two examination tasks. The grade in the terminology test is successful if at least 70% of the answers are correct.

Compulsory reading

1. Freyer, W. Tourismus. Lehr- und Handbücher zu Tourismus, Verkehr und Freizeit. 1. Aufl. Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag. 2010. 578 Seiten, ISBN-10:3-486-59673-X.
2. Lüttich, H. Hotellerie in Deutschland. 1. Aufl. Verlag Books on Demand. 2008. 196 Seiten, ISBN-10:3-8370-4012-7.
3. Brunner-Sperdin, A. Erlebnisprodukte in Hotellerie und Tourismus. Management und Wirtschaft Studien, Band 67. 1.Aufl. Erich Schmidt Verlag. 2008. 199 Seiten, ISBN-10:3-503-11006-2.
4. Glinsky, M. Dienstleistungsqualität als strategischer Einflussfaktor auf den Erfolg einer Hotelunternehmung. 1. Aufl. GRIN Verlag. 2007. 108 Seiten, ISBN-10:3-638-70982-5.

Further reading

1. Unterberger, S. Strategien für eine nachhaltige(re) Tourismusentwicklung im Alpenraum. 1. Aufl. VDM Verlag. 2010. 152 Seiten, ISBN-10:3-639-26765-6.
2. Grander, P. Nachhaltige Tourismusentwicklung in Tirol im Hinblick auf kulturelle Identität und Gastfreundschaft. 1. Aufl. GRIN Verlag. 2010. 108 Seiten, ISBN-10:3-640-77931-2.
3. Klöckner, M. Vom sanften Tourismus zur nachhaltigen Tourismusentwicklung - ein Überblick. 1. Aufl. GRIN Verlag. 2007. 52 Seiten, ISBN-10:3-638-81973-6.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Hotel&Technik. Das Magazin fuer Hoteliers, Planer und Investoren. [tiešsaiste] www.hotel-und-technik.de 14.09.2011
2. FIZZZ - das Fachmagazin fuer die Trend- und Szenen-Gastronomie. [tiešsaiste] www.fizzz.de 14.09.2011
3. Top Hotel. Fachzeitschrift fuer das Hotelmanagement. [tiešsaiste] www.tophotel.de 14.09.2011

Notes

The study course is included in the compulsory part of the study programme.