English-Speaking Problems and Solutions: A Case Study of Thai EFL Interns in Hospitality and Tourism Industry
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Abstract
This paper aims to study English-speaking problems/ obstacles of Thai EFL interns in the hospitality and tourism industry and to explore interns’ solutions to problems in developing English-speaking skills for future careers. The samples were 146 graduates from a public university in Chonburi province, Thailand. They were required to attend a 12-week internship program in premier hotels, travel agencies, airlines, or in the field of MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convention, and Exhibition Centers) to get real-world experience before graduation. The instruments utilized in this study were questionnaires and structured-interview questionnaires. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (percentage, mean, standard deviation (S.D.), T-test (One-way ANOVA), F-Test as well as content analysis. The results revealed that English speaking was required of the interns in the four main fields of the service industry (i.e., hotels, travel agencies/ tour operators, airlines, and MICE business). The interns in each field had English-speaking problems at a moderate level; the major problematic issues were lack of vocabulary (or an inability to think of appropriate vocabulary) and feeling wary about making grammatical mistakes. Interestingly, these obstacles affect interns’ English-speaking competence. Solutions to overcome English-speaking difficulties were discussed in the study. The findings of this study can shed light for students and novice staff on how to improve English-speaking skills before entering the industry. Moreover, the study will be beneficial for instructors when implementing ESP pedagogies as well as designing courses and as curriculum.
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