CASE STUDY

The language barrier

Tourism and hospitality is a diverse sector comprised of workers from varied cultures,
backgrounds, ages, and languages. This is one of the reasons our industry is so unique. But with
this diversity, comes its challenges. In the case of a large hotel, where a housekeeping
department is comprised of workers from all over the world, training can sometimes be a
challenge to due language barriers. And although many corporate properties have developed
strong training programs, it’s not always fully understood by each person in the room.
Knowing this, what types of tools, methods, and practices can an employer use to ensure
proper training has been provided? As a group, discuss the following topics:

1. Make a list of different training techniques you can use when trying to overcome a language
barrier?
- Speak slowly and clearly.
- Ask for clarification.
- Choose your medium of communication effectively.
- Be specific.

2. At the end of the training, what methods can you use to determine whether or not the
worker understood?
- One of the most popular techniques for assessing the efficacy of corporate training programs
is the Kirkpatrick Taxonomy. You can determine how the participants responded to the training
by looking at their reactions. You can ask the participants to submit a quick survey or feedback
form to get an idea of how they felt about the training in order to determine whether the
conditions for learning were present. The goal of learning is to comprehend what the
participants took away from the training. Behavior is to determine whether the participants
applied what they had learnt to their jobs. To do this, either invite participants to do self-
assessments or request that their supervisor give them a formal evaluation. By calculating the
return on expectations, or ROE, you may determine whether the training satisfied the
expectations of the stakeholders.

3. How effective are visual aids when it comes to training and why?
- Visual aids should be used in presentations because they can make content easier to express
coherently, which makes it easier for you to deliver and for the audience to understand. They
also assist in giving your presentation more variation, which keeps the audience interested.

4. When developing a training plan for an employee who has English as a second language,
what types of things should you consider when putting your training plan together
- Make sure it's as simple to grasp as you can. Avoid using slang or other unusual language/
words when speaking. Verify that you understand everything. Use simple words which are
understandable.
5. What is the KEY takeaway learned from this case study?
- Having different training techniques is important, especially there are different types of
trainees to be trained and we are not the same. Others may easily understand the training
directly while others needs to have time to comprehend the ideas shared and imparted to
them. To also be patient in conversing with the employee is substantial because not everyone is
fluent in speaking in English. Others may understand fast, some may also have difficulties in
understanding and comprehending the language also.