ABSTRACT 

This research evaluates the current BLE 2052 English for Hospitality Purposes (EHP) course, which is one of the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses offered in University Utara Malaysia (UUM) in the Faculty of Communication and Modern Languages. The aim of this study is to investigate  the current language needs of the students and to determine whether the course meets  the actual needs of the hospitality management students in terms of course objectives,  course content, teaching and learning materials, teaching methodology, time allocation and evaluation system. This study involves four teachers and sixty students of UUM and relied on data gathered from three different sets of questionnaires and interviews. The valuable data gathered 

from the questionnaire were described in terms of frequency counts and percentage and presented using tables and charts while data collected from the interview was analyzed and summarized in a descriptive manner. The findings revealed that there are some minor weaknesses in the EHP course in terms of course content, usage of materials and teaching methodology as identified by the respondents. It was found that there is a gap between the skills taught in the course and the skills required in the hospitality industry. Secondly, the students lack confidence in using appropriately the language even after having  completed the EHP course. The findings therefore indicate the need to revise some aspects of the course based on the current needs of the students as well as the needs of the industry. These would enable the students to be well equipped with the necessary skills needed to function effectively in the hospitality industry.

 

TITLE           i 

DECLARATION OF ORIGINAL WORK      ii 

ABSTRACT          iii 

ABSTRAK          iv 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT        v 

TABLE OF CONTENTS        vii 

LIST OF FIGURES         xiii 

LIST OF TABLES         xvi 

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS        xvii 

 

11 Introduction          1 

12  BLE 2052 English for Hospitality Purposes Course Description   2 

13 Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM)      4 

14 Statement of Problem         6 

15 Objectives of the Study        7 

16 Research Questions         8 

17 Significance of the Study        9 

18 Limitations of the Study         10 

19 Data Collection         10 

110 Data Analysis         11 

21  Introduction          12 

22 Curriculum Evaluation        13 

23 Definitions of Curriculum Evaluation     14 

24 Purpose of Curriculum Evaluation       16 

25 Approaches to Curriculum Evaluation       17 

26 Types of Curriculum Evaluation       18 

261 Formative versus Summative       18 

262 Product versus Process       21 

263 Quantitative versus Qualitative      21 

27 English for Specific Purposes (ESP)      22 

28 English for Academic Purposes (EAP)      24 

29 English for Occupational Purposes (EOP)      25 

210 Needs Analysis         26 

211 Curriculum Design and Syllabus       28 

212 Stages of Curriculum Design        29 

213 Review of related studies        33 

31 Introduction          38 

32 Pilot study          38 

33 The Respondents         39 

331 The Students          40 

332 The Teachers         41 

34  Instrumentation         41 

341 Questionnaire         42 

3411 Third Year First Semester Students’ Questionnaire   42  

3412 Fourth Year First Semester Students’ Questionnaire  44 

3413 Teachers’ Questionnaire      46 

3 42  Interview         48 

35 Data Analysis          48 

 

41  Introduction          50 

42  Analysis of Third Year First Semester Students’ Questionnaire   51 

421    Educational Background Information of the Students   51 

422  Analysis of the English for Hospitality Purposes (EHP) Grades  53 

423  Frequency Usage of Language      53 

424  Proficiency Level of English Language     54 

425  Students’ Needs             55 

426  Course Objectives        57 

427 Course Content        59 

428  Teaching and Learning Materials      61 

429 Teaching Methodology       63 

4210 Time Allocation        64 

4211 Evaluation System        65 

4212 Problems Encountered       66 

4213 Overall Perception        69 

43      Analysis of Fourth Year First Semester Students’ Questionnaire   70 

431    Educational and Background Information of the Students   71 

432    Job Needs in relation to English Language     74 

            433    Usefulness of the EHP Course       79 

            434    Problems Encountered in the EHP Course     81 

 435    Problems Encountered during Practicum      83 

44 Analysis of the Teachers’ Questionnaire       83 

441 General and Educational Background Information of the Teachers  84 

            442    Students’ Needs        86 

            443   Course Objectives        87 

            444    Course Content        88 

            445    Teaching and Learning Materials      90 

            446    Teaching Methodology       92 

            447    Time Allocation         93 

            448    Evaluation System         95 

            449    Problems Encountered       96 

            4410  Overall Perceptions        99 

51 Introduction          102 

52 Findings          102 

521  Research Question One       103 

5211 Course Objectives       103 

5212 Course Content        104 

5213 Teaching and Learning Materials     105 

5214 Teaching Methodology       106 

5215 Time Allocation       106 

5216 Evaluation System        107 

522  Research Question Two       108 

53 Implications          110 

531 Research Question One       110 

531  Research Question Two       111 

54  Recommendations         112 

541  Course Objectives        113 

542  Course Content        113 

543  Teaching and Learning Materials      114 

544  Teaching Methodology       115 

545  Time Allocation        115 

546  Evaluation System        116 

547  Students’ Needs and Lacks       116 

55 Recommendation for further research      117 

 

APPENDICES 

 APPENDIX A  - Letter Requiring Permission to Conduct the Research from Vice Chancellor of UUM  

APPENDIX B - Letter Requiring Permission from the Dean of Faculty of Communication and Modern Languages, UUM 

 APPENDIX C - Letter Requiring Permission from the Dean of Faculty of Tourism Management and Hospitality, UUM 

 APPENDIX D - Teachers’ Questionnaire 

APPENDIX E  - Third Year First Semester Students’ Questionnaire 

 APPENDIX F  - Fourth Year First Semester Students’ Questionnaire 

 APPENDIX G - Teachers’ Interview Questions 

 APPENDIX H  - Third Year First Semester Students’ Interview Questions 

 APPENDIX I  - Fourth Year First Semester Students’ Interview Questions

Figure 21   - Tyler’s Objective Model       30 

Figure 22   - Taylor’s Interaction Model of Curriculum Development   31 

Table 41    - Analysis of the SPM English Language Grades    51 

Table 42    - Analysis of the MUET English Language Grades    52 

Table 43    - Analysis of the BLE 2052 English for Hospitality Purposes  Grades  53 

Table 44    - Analysis of Usage of English Language     53 

Table 45    - Analysis of the Students’ Proficiency Level     54 

Table 46    - Analysis of the Perceptions about the Students’ Needs   55 

Table 47    -  Analysis of the Suggestions about the Students’ Needs   56 

Table 48    - Analysis of the Suggestions about the Basic Skills    56 

Table 49    - Analysis of the Perceptions about the Course Objectives   57 

Table 410  - Analysis of the Suggestions about the Course Objectives   58 

Table 411  -  Analysis of the Perceptions about the Course Content   59 

Table 412  -  Analysis of the Suggestions about the Course Content   60 

Table 413  -  Analysis of the Perceptions about the Materials Used   61 

Table 414  -  Analysis of Suggestions about the Use of Materials and  Guidebook  62 

Table 415  -  Analysis of the Perceptions about the Teaching Methods   63 

Table 416  -  Analysis of the Suggestions about the Teaching Methods   63 

Table 417  -  Analysis of the Perceptions about the Time Allocation    64 

Table 418  -  Analysis of the Suggestions for Weekly Teaching Periods   65 

Table 419  -  Analysis of the Perceptions about the Evaluation System   65 

Table 420  -  Analysis of the Perceptions about the Problems Faced    66 

Table 421  -     Analysis of the Suggestions about the Problems Faced   68 

Table 422  -     Analysis of the Perceptions about the EHP Course as whole   69 

Table 423  -     Analysis of the SPM English Language Grades    71 

Table 424 -     Analysis of the MUET English Language Grades    71 

Table 425  -     Analysis of the BLE 2052 English for Hospitality Purposes Grades 72 

Table 426  -     Analysis of the Students’ Proficiency Level of Language   73 

Table 427  -     Analysis of the Medium of Language Used at Workplace   74 

Table 428  -     Analysis of Proficiency Level of English Used at Workplace  75 

Table 429  -     Analysis of the Frequency of the Usage of Language at   Workplace   75 

Table 430 -     Analysis of the Required Proficiency Level of English in the  Industry 76 

Table 431 -     Analysis of the Usage of English Emphasized at Workplace  77 

Table 432  -     Tasks Performed at Workplace that required English Language  78 

Table 433  -     Analysis of the Usefulness of the EHP Course as a Whole   79 

Table 434  -     Analysis of the Suggestions in Improving the Course as a Whole  80 

Table 435  -     Analysis of Academic Qualification     84 

Table 436  -  Analysis of Professional Qualification     84 

Table 437  -    Analysis of Teaching Experience       85 

Table 438 -     Analysis of Experience in Teaching EHP Course    85 

Table 439  -     Analysis of the ESP Training Courses attended    85 

Table 440  -     Analysis of the Perceptions about Students’ Needs    86 

Table 441  -     Analysis of the Perceptions about Course Objectives   87 

Table 442  -     Analysis of the Suggestions about Course Objectives   87 

Table 443  -     Analysis of the Perceptions about Course Content    88 

Table 444  -     Analysis of the Suggestions about Course Content    89 

Table 445  -     Analysis of the Perceptions about the Materials    90 

Table 446  -     Analysis of the Suggestions about Materials    91 

Table 447  -     Analysis of the Suggestions about the Most Effective Materials  91 

Table 448  -     Analysis of the Perceptions about Teaching Methods   92 

Table 449  -     Analysis of the Suggestions about Teaching Methods   93 

Table 450  -     Analysis of the Perceptions about Time Allocation    93 

Table 451  -     Analysis of the Suggestions about Time Allocation   94 

Table 452  -     Analysis of the Perceptions about Evaluation System   95 

Table 453  -     Analysis of the Suggestions about Evaluation System   95 

Table 454  -    Analysis of the Perceptions about Problems Encountered   96 

Table 455  -     Analysis of the Suggestions about the Problems Encountered  98 

Table 456  -     Analysis of the Perceptions about the Course as a whole   99 

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 

BA - Bachelor of Arts 

BEd - Bachelor of Education 

BSc - Bachelor of Science 

ECP - English for Commercial Purposes 

EHP - English for Hospitality Purposes 

ELT - English Language Teaching 

ESP - English for Specific Purposes 

Freq - Frequency 

ICT - Information and Communication Technology 

MA - Master of Arts 

MEd - Master of Education 

MSc - Master of Science 

MSC - Multimedia Super Corridor 

MUET - Malaysian University English Test 

N - Neutral 

% - Percentage 

PhD - Philosophy Doctor 

SA/A - Strongly Agree or Agree 

SD/D - Strongly Disagree or Disagree 

SPM - Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia 

UKM - Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 

UUM - Universiti Utara Malaysia