Vietnam national university, Hanoi
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

NGUYỄN THỊ NGỌC ANH

DESIGNING AN ESP READING SYLLABUS FOR THE STUDENTS
OF THE TOUR-GUIDING PROGRAM AT TOURISM FACULTY,
QUANG NINH COLLEGE OF ARTS, CULTURE AND TOURISM

(THIẾT KẾ CHƯƠNG TRÌNH ĐỌC HIỂU TIẾNG ANH CHUYÊN NGÀNH
CHO SINH VIÊN NGÀNH HƯỚNG DẪN KHOA DU LỊCH TRƯỜNG CAO
ĐẲNG VĂN HÓA, NGHỆ THUẬT VÀ DU LỊCH QUẢNG NINH)

M.A. MINOR THESIS

Field: English Teaching Methodology
Code: 60.14.10.

HANOI - 2012
1


Vietnam national university, Hanoi
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY of post - graduate studies

NGUYỄN THỊ NGỌC ANH

DESIGNING AN ESP READING SYLLABUS FOR THE STUDENTS
OF THE TOUR-GUIDING PROGRAM AT TOURISM FACULTY,

TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………

iv

LIST OF TABLE AND FIGURES……………………………………………

vii

PART I: INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………..

1

1. Rationale of the research………………………………………………………

1

2. Aims of the research ………………………………………………………….. 2
3. Research questions……………………………………………………………. 2
4. Methods of the research……………………………………………………….

2

5. Scope of the research …………………………………………………………

2

6. Design of the research………………………………………….......................

3


7
8

Content-based syllabus………………………………….

8

1.2.2.1.1 Structural syllabus………………………………………

8

1.2.2.1.2 Situational syllabus………………………………………

9

1.2.2.1.3 Notional/Functional syllabus……………………………

9

1.2.2.1.4 Topic syllabus........................................................................

9

1.2.2.1

1.2.2.2

Skill-based syllabus………………………………………

10


1.3.2 Reading skills and strategies in ESP……………………….
1.4 Summary………………………………………………………

17

CHAPTER 2: THE STUDY

2.1 The teaching and learning ESP situation at Quang Ninh College of Art,

17

Culture and Tourism……………………………………………

18

2.2 The teaching staff of the English Division…………………..

18

2.3 The students………………………………………………….

19

2.4 The study…………………………………………………....

19

2.4.1 The subjects…………………………………………………



STUDENTS OF THE TOUR-GUIDING

26

3.1 Aims and objectives of reading syllabus…………………………………

26

3.2 Selecting types of ESP syllabus…………………………………………...

27

3.3 Sequencing the content and the tasks in the syllabus.................................. 28
3.4 Designing tests for the ESP reading course................................................. 29
3.5 The proposed syllabus for the students of the Tour-guiding at Tourism

v


Faculty, Quang Ninh College of Art, Culture and Tourism............................

31-40

3.6 Summary.........................................................................................................

29

PART III: CONCLUSIONS…………………………………………….........
1. Recapitulation.................................................................................

Table 2: Teachers’ ranking of topics related to Vietnam and Quang Ninh tourist
attractions...............................................................................................................

XII

Table 3: Teacher’s ranking of grammar and structures needed for the syllabus .......XIII
Table 4: The teachers’ attitudes to reading skill and exercises needed for reading
comprehension in the syllabus................................................................................ XIV
Table 5: The students’ rating of the objectives of the syllabus..............................

XVI

Table 6: Students’ assessment of the topics about Vietnam and Quang Ninh tourist
attractions............................................................................................................

XVII

Table 7: Students’ opinion of the reading skills and exercises needed in the syllabus
..............................................................................................................................

vii

XVII


PART I: INTRODUCTION
1.

Rationale


achieve this aim, the following objectives are established:

1


-

To develop a theoretical framework related to a reading syllabus

for

English for Tourism in Vietnam
-

To identify the needs of the ESP teachers, the ESP students of the Tourguiding program at Tourism Faculty, Quang Ninh College of Arts Culture
and Tourism

-

To propose a reading syllabus based on the relevant theories and the needs
analysis.

3.

Research questions

The study answers two questions:
1. What are the target needs from the perspective of the ESP students and the ESP
teachers?
2. What is the content of the syllabus?


2


-

Chapter 2 describes the study including its background, subjects, and instruments for
collecting and analyzing data for the findings of the study.

-

Chapter 3 proposes a reading syllabus based on the findings of this study.

Part III: Conclusion provides recapitulation, conclusions, limitations of the study and
suggestions for further research.

3


PART II: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERARTURE REVIEW

There are many previous studies about tourism. Some of them were carried out to develop
the materials for the English for tourism. Some others were designed to improve students’
speaking skill that is very necessary for tour guides. However, no research so far has been
implemented to design a reading syllabus for the students of Tour-guiding program which
is expect to contain information on most popular sites of Vietnam and Quang Ninh.
Therefore, it is an urgent need to do a research to put these ideas about this reading
syllabus with suitable task into practice.
In this chapter, an attempt is made to review the theories related to all basic aspects for

related in content (that is in its themes and topics) to particular disciplines,
occupations and activities;



centered on language appropriate to those activities in syntax, lexis, discourse,
semantics and so on, and analysis of the discourse;



in contrast with “General English”

Robinson (1991) also accepts the primacy of needs analysis in defining ESP. Her definition
is based on two key defining criteria (ESP is “normally goal-directed”, and ESP courses
develop from a needs analysis) and a number of characteristics (ESP courses are generally
constrained by a limited time period, in which their objectives have to be achieved, and
that are taught to adults in homogeneous classes in terms of work or specialist studies that
the student are involved in) generally found to be true of ESP.
Each definition has validity but also weaknesses. In 1998, Dudley-Evans and St John gave
out a modified definition which is very helpful in resolving the arguments about what is
and is not ESP. The definition is:
Absolute characteristics:
-

ESP is design to meet the specific needs of the learner;

-

ESP makes use of the underlying methodology and activities of the disciplines it
serves;

1.5.2 Types of ESP
ESP has traditionally divided into two main areas: English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
and English for Occupational Purposes (EOP). Robinson (1991) devises a tree diagram for
ESP (Figure 1), which divides EAP and EOP according to when they take place while
Dudley-Evans and St John (1998) divide EAP and EOP according to discipline or
professional area (Figure 2). On the other hand, in the “tree of ELT” of Hutchinson and
Waters (1987), ESP is broken down into three branches: English for Science and
Technology (EST), English for Business and Economics (EBE), and English for Social
Studies (ESS). Each of the subject’s areas is further divided into two branches: EAP and
EOP. However, they find out that there is not a clear-cut distinction between EAP and EOP
because “ people can work and study simultaneously; it is likely that in many cases the
language learnt for immediate use in a study environment will be used later when the
student takes up, or returns to a job”. Therefore, it is important for ESP teachers to study
various types of ESP to have an overall picture of the group of learners they are going to
work with.
Pre-experience
Simultaneous/ in service

EOP

Post-experience

ESP
For study in a
specific
discipline
EEP/EAP

Pre-study
In-study

Legal
Purposes

English for Occupational Purposes

English for
Management,
Finance and
Economics

English for
professional Purposes

English
for
Medical
Purposes

English
for
Business
Purposes

English for
Vocational Purposes

Prevocational
English

Vocational

(Johnson 1976) or notions and functions (Wilkins, 1976). Up to now, the most common
classification to ELT is of Robinson (1991:35). He suggests three major types of syllabus:
content-based syllabus, skill-based syllabus and method-based syllabus.
1.6.2.1

Content-based syllabus

1.6.2.1.1 Structural syllabus
Structural syllabus is considered the most prevalent type for the teaching of a language in
which the selection and grading of the content is from the simple to the complex. It focuses
on the product, so each structural step is expected to master and add to students’ grammar
collection. Although this kind of syllabus represents a familiar approach to teaching for
many people, it faces a problem that makes it infeasible. The matter is that the only focus
of the structural syllabus is grammar while there are many other aspects students need to
learn in language. Nunan (1988:30) also points out that “structural graded syllabus
misrepresented the complex nature of language as a system and tended to focus on only
one aspect of language, that is, formal grammar.”
1.6.2.1.2 Situational syllabus
This kind of syllabus is “always used in social context and cannot be understood without
reference to that context” (Wilkins, 1976:16). Hence, basing on situations in which
language is used the designer can choose and present language content. This feature makes
the situational syllabus be used practically in context. Another advantage is that it will
motivate the learners because it is “learner rather than subject centered” (Wilkins,
1976:16). However, language used in specific situations may not transfer to other
situations. This is one of the limitations of this kind of syllabus. Moreover, it is effective
only if the designer can predict accurately the situation in which the learners will find
themselves. Gaps in students’ grammatical knowledge may appear incidentally when using
a situational syllabus.
1.6.2.1.3 Notional/Functional syllabus


skills and strategies and provides a practical framework for designing course and teaching
materials. With this kind of syllabus, linguistic competencies can be grouped together into
generalized types of behavior, such as listening to spoken language for the main idea,
writing well-formed paragraphs, and so on. However, focusing on discrete aspects of
performance rather than on developing global and integrated communicative abilities is
regarded as the problem of skill-based syllabus.
1.6.2.3

Method-based syllabus

1.6.2.3.1 Task-based syllabus
Robinson (1991:39) points out that a task-based syllabus is “the syllabus consisting of a set
of tasks or activities ordered according to cognitive difficulty”. The aim of task-based

9


syllabus is to teach students how to draw on resources to complete some pieces of work.
By completing tasks, students are able to master a variety of language forms, functions and
skills. Robinson (1991:40) also states that “using the medium of English, they should
successfully perform a work or a study task.”
1.6.2.3.2 Process syllabus
The process syllabus is defined as “a context within which any syllabus of subject-matter is
made workable” (Breen, 1987:196). In the areas of language, teaching methodology,
learner contribution and planning for learning and teaching this kind of language shows
many differences. It the only syllabus that not pre-set but rather constructed as the course is
taught. The designer no longer pre-selects learning content, but provides framework for
teacher and learners to create their own on-going syllabus. Process syllabus is also seen as
innovative one for it is largely focused on project work and problem-solving tasks and
activities.


Select theoretical views of
language

Identify linguistic features of target situation

Create syllabus

Design materials to
exemplify syllabus items
Establish evaluation procedures to test acquisition of
syllabus items
Figure 3: A language-centered approach

1.6.3.2

Skilled-centered approach

This approach provides a basis for discovering the underlying competence that enables
people to perform in the target situation. It also enables the course designer to discover the
potential knowledge and helps learners to develop skills and strategies. The objective of
this process is to make learners into better processors of information. However, according
to Hutchinson and Water (1987) the drawback of this approach is that it still sees the
learners as a user of language rather than as a learner of language with its process of
language use, not of language learning.

11


Theoretical view

language

Figure 4: A skill-centered approach
1.6.3.3

Learning-centered approach

Learning-centered approach places the student at the center. That means learning is wholly
decided by learners. It begins with understanding the educational contexts from which a
student comes. It continues with the instructor evaluating the student's progress towards
learning objectives. By helping the student acquire the basic skills to learn, it ultimately
provides a basis for learning throughout life. It therefore places the responsibility for
learning on the student, while the instructor assumes responsibility for facilitating the
student’s education. This approach strives to be individualistic, flexible, competencybased, varied in methodology and not always constrained by time or place.

12


Identify learners
Theoretical
views of
learning

Analyze
learning
situation

Analyze
Target
situation

approach, skill-centered approach, views learner as a user rather than a learner of language.
The last approach pays attention to competence and performance. After a careful
consideration of different approaches, an integrated approach with much focus on the
combination of the target situation, competence and performance factors will be adopted to
an ESP reading syllabus for students of Tour-guiding program. With an integrated
syllabus, I hope to increase the strengths and minimize the drawback of the given ones.

1.6.4 Needs analysis
Needs analysis plays a vital role in the process of designing and carrying out any language
course, whether it be English for Specific Purposes (ESP) or general English course. There
are many different definitions of need analysis. According to Iwai (1999), the term needs
analysis generally refers to the activities that are involved in collecting information that
will serve as the basis for developing a curriculum that will meet the needs of a particular
group of students. Besides, need analysis is seen as “the process of determining the needs

13


for which a learner or group of learner requires a language and arranging the needs
according to priority” (Richards, Platt, and Webber, 1986: 189). Also, Bachman and
Palmer (1996:102) points out another detailed definition “needs analysis, or need
assessment, involves the systematic gathering of specific information about the language
needs of learners and the analysis of this information for purposes of language syllabus
design”.
Concerning the types of needs, Hutchinson and Waters (1987) distinguish between target
needs and learning needs. The first one comprise necessities ( what the learner has to know
in order to function effectively in the target situation), lacks (the gaps between target and
existing proficiency of the learner), and want (the learners’ view on their needs. The
second type is a cover term for all the factors connected to the process of learning like
attitude, motivation, awareness, personality, learning styles and strategies.



using all the features of the text such as headings, layout, typeface;



skimming for content and meaning;



scanning for specifics;



identifying organizational patterns;



understanding relations within a sentence and between sentences;



using cohesive and discourse mark;



predicting, inferring and guessing;






On the basis of this literature review, a topic-based syllabus with integrated approach
would probably be the most appropriate syllabus for students of Tour-guiding program at
Tourism Faculty, Quang Ninh College of Art, Culture and Tourism.

CHAPTER 2: THE STUDY
2.1 The teaching and learning situation at Quang Ninh College of Arts, Culture and
Tourism.
It is generally required by the college that Faculty of English be in charge of teaching
English for 9 faculties at Quang Ninh College of Arts, Culture and Tourism. A different
ESP textbook, syllabus and test is applied for each faculty. ESP has become the most
challenging subjects for English teachers because we have to spend time looking for,
selecting, adapting teaching materials by ourselves. The present ESP syllabuses are
selected randomly by the teachers without any official consideration regarding needs
analysis or syllabus design theory. In fact, we need more time to design more effective
syllabus for our learners.
Currently, the whole English curriculum for the students of Tour-guiding program is
divided into two parts. In the first part, the students have chance to learn 90 periods of GE
with 45 periods each term. Because English is chosen as a subject in the college entrance
exam, teaching GE starts from Pre-intermediate Lifeline and Intermediate Lifeline, which
is assumed to be compatible to the target of consolidating the English foundation,
enriching the vocabulary and having students involved in communicative activities. ESP is
introduced at the second part of curriculum. The textbook English for Tour-Guiding 1,
written by a group of English teachers at Quang Ninh College of Arts, Culture and
Tourism, is used in the first term (45 periods) with the aim of providing fundamental
vocabulary and some useful structures in tourism contexts such as greeting, taking a
reservation on the phone, taking customers’ order, checking in or checking out, etc. The
main focus of this textbook is to improve speaking and listening skills in some specific
situations faced by the tour-guiding students. 45 periods of English for nationwide and

to acquire and develop their English communicative competence. However, these students
always try their best to pass exams. Many of them come into class with the great interest of
learning English, especially ESP, because all of them are aware of the importance of this
subject in their future jobs.
2.4 The study
2.4.1 The subjects
The subjects of the study are 10 teachers of English Faculty, 3 teachers of Tourism Faculty
and 100 students of Tour-guiding program coming from 2 classes of the faculty.
2.5.2 Instruments for collecting data

17


Among many ways to gather information, questionnaires and interviews are the main ones
in this study. Information from the large numbers of respondents can be collected quickly
by using questionnaires; and information on specific questions can be easily taken from
interviews. Questionnaires are distributed to both teacher of English Faculty and the
students of Tour-guiding program to satisfy the demands of the multiplicity and diversity
of the views for prerequisites for an ESP course.
The first questionnaire given to 10 teachers of English Faculty consists of 4 sections:
Section 1 explores expectations for the ESP reading course.
Section 2 is about the topics needed for the syllabus.
Section 3 concerns with grammar and structures which should be focused in the syllabus.
Section 4 deals with reading skills and exercises which should be included in the syllabus.
The second questionnaire given for the students of the Tour-guiding program is written in
Vietnamese to help them understand the questions exactly. There are 3 sections in this
questionnaire:
Section 1 elicits expectations for ESP reading course.
Section 2 is related to the needed topics for the syllabus.
Section 3 refers to reading skills and exercises.

teachers highly agree with the objectives listed. The majority of the teachers (50%) the
objective with the first priority is item 5(comprehend written materials related to
Vietnamese tourist attractions). Item 1(introduce the most popular features of Vietnam and
Quang Ninh tourism to tourists) and item 3(build up a wide range of English terms about
nationwide and local tourist attractions)are both ranked in the second position with

the

percentage of 40 % for each. The third priority is given to item 2(translate materials related
to Vietnam and Quang Ninh tourist attractions at the basic level).
The chart below shows 3 top priorities of the teachers’ expectations of the ESP reading
syllabus.
50
40
30

1st priority

20

2nd priority
3rd priority

10
0
Objective
1

Objective
3