Challenges in Teaching Esp For Tourism in Albania

Students who study tourism usually bring different attitudes, interests, and levels of competence, in their orientation towards learning foreign languages than those shared by other types of students of English, even when English may only be a requirement to obtain a degree (García Laborda, 2001). While, in the future, such students may come to consider English as one of the most useful tools in the tourism industry (Uber, 1985), they still tend to regard it as just another subject in the curriculum during their academic study. Few will consider studying it out of school for personal interest or as a factor for future success in their careers. This presentation, is divided into five sections, discusses the characteristics and the needs of these students as well as a set of proposals to improve their attitude, interest, and possibilities to succeed in the study of the English language. In discussing the academic, student, curricular needs and the individual characteristics of students who study tourism, the paper reviews:

1-Students’ perceived difficulties;

2-Students’ vision of Communicative Methodologies;

3-Students’ attitudes towards foreign language learning;

4-Needs-oriented classes;

5-Possible solutions and suggestions for the future.

This paper also deals with topics such as methodology and techniques used for ESP tourism classes with special attention to its impact on students’ views through communicative instruction, grouping, means of optimizing classes, and exploring ideas to improve the subject.