This document provides an introduction and overview of the Hospitality English course. It discusses the following key points:
1. Hospitality English focuses on developing listening and speaking skills through dialogs set in hotel environments. It covers common customer service functions like requesting, confirming, and offering choices.
2. The course is intended for intermediate to advanced English learners working in the hospitality industry. It helps improve their ability to communicate effectively in business situations.
3. Each unit covers a different area of hotel operations like front desk, restaurant, guest services, and develops vocabulary and language functions specific to that area.
4. The course uses interactive exercises to practice listening, speaking, and vocabulary. Student progress is tracked
This document provides an introduction and overview of the Hospitality English course. It discusses the following key points:
1. Hospitality English focuses on developing listening and speaking skills through dialogs set in hotel environments. It covers common customer service functions like requesting, confirming, and offering choices.
2. The course is intended for intermediate to advanced English learners working in the hospitality industry. It helps improve their ability to communicate effectively in business situations.
3. Each unit covers a different area of hotel operations like front desk, restaurant, guest services, and develops vocabulary and language functions specific to that area.
4. The course uses interactive exercises to practice listening, speaking, and vocabulary. Student progress is tracked
This document provides an introduction and overview of the Hospitality English course. It discusses the following key points:
1. Hospitality English focuses on developing listening and speaking skills through dialogs set in hotel environments. It covers common customer service functions like requesting, confirming, and offering choices.
2. The course is intended for intermediate to advanced English learners working in the hospitality industry. It helps improve their ability to communicate effectively in business situations.
3. Each unit covers a different area of hotel operations like front desk, restaurant, guest services, and develops vocabulary and language functions specific to that area.
4. The course uses interactive exercises to practice listening, speaking, and vocabulary. Student progress is tracked
September 2007 Table of Contents Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Level ............................................................................................................................................ 4 Business Functions ...................................................................................................................... 4 The Shuffler Level and Completion Percentage .......................................................................... 4 Other Available Components ....................................................................................................... 5
Unit 1: Reception .............................................................................................................................. 11
Unit 2: Restaurant and Bar ............................................................................................................. 24 Unit 3: Cashier and Checkout ......................................................................................................... 36 Unit 4: Guest Services ...................................................................................................................... 47 Unit 5: Guest Relations and Sales ................................................................................................... 60 Unit 6: Telephone ............................................................................................................................. 71
Appendix A: Using the Software ...................................................................................................... 82
Appendix B: Verb Markers ............................................................................................................... 84 Daily Checklist for Effective Practice ................................................................................................ 86 Sample Study Path for Hospitality English ........................................................................................ 86 Introduction Welcome to Hospitality English! This course and its companion courses, Dynamic Business English, Functioning in Business and English by the Numbers, are part of a suite of products that make up DynEd’s Business English Advantage Series. The Business English Advantage Series also includes New Dynamic English and The Lost Secret. New Dynamic English is the core course for DynEd’s Business English Advantage Series. Used together in an intensive program, these courses provide a strategic foundation for using English in business situations. Hospitality English provides valuable practice in the English needed by hospitality professionals. Special attention is paid to listening and speaking skills and to vocabulary development. The dialogs cover a wide range of customer-contact situations, from routine interactions to more difficult conversations involving problems and complaints.
Hospitality English focuses on language functions, such as requesting, confirming, giving
directions, and offering choices. The dialogs are set in several international-standard hotels catering to business travelers and tourists alike. The hotel employees who serve these guests speak in a friendly, yet professional, tone. The dialogs show them performing the target functions in a way that is neither too formal nor too familiar—an excellent model for students to follow. Each unit deals with the language needed in a specific service area within a hotel: Front desk, Restaurant and Bar, Guest Services, etc; therefore, each unit has a different placement test requirement, making this course different from the rest of the BEAS series in its design.
Listening, both for general meaning and for specific pieces of information, is a primary focus of Hospitality English. So is contextualized use of vocabulary. Students answer comprehension questions and complete sample sentences by clicking on the correct answer with a mouse or by clicking and dragging words into their appropriate positions. Speech-recognition activities give students opportunities to practice speaking, an active application of what they have learned.
This course can be effectively used for self-study or in classrooms / training-programs. This teacher’s guide aims to help teachers and trainers get the most out of the materials.
Note: For updates for DynEd products, please go to DynEd’s website at: http://www.dyned.com
3 Level This course is meant for students with intermediate or advanced English proficiency. The course is built around the language used in the hospitality industry and focuses on a core set of language functions that are recycled throughout. The language level is suitable for intermediate and advanced students who need to improve their listening and speaking skills. Different units within the course have a slightly different language prerequisite. For advanced students, the course can be gone through fairly quickly, and the emphasis should be on language appropriateness. For intermediate students, the focus should be on developing listening and speaking fluency in business situations, as well as building an active hospitality vocabulary.
In general, the course is best used with students whose listening and speaking skills are weaker than their reading and writing skills. Optimally, students should understand 60~80% of the information on first hearing and without repetition. By the end of study, they should easily understand 90% or more of the content without reference to text support, be able to summarize it with reasonable accuracy and confidence, and be able to express the same type of information when applied to their own job situation with confidence and fluency.
To find a student’s language level, you may want to use DynEd’s Placement Test. The Mastery Tests that are part of the course can be used to ensure that students have learned already-studied material before progressing to new lessons.
The course comes with a Records Manager to monitor and evaluate the progress of each student. Please see the instructions in the Records Manager for further details.
Business Functions The language in each unit presents models and recycles a core group of language functions that are essential in all types of business. These functions include how to make a polite request, how to make a suggestion, a disagreement, an offer, and a refusal. Other functions are important in business meetings and for exchanging information over the telephone: confirmation, clarification, qualification, and making an appointment.
The Shuffler Level and Completion Percentage
A unique feature of DynEd Courseware is the Shuffler. As a student answers questions and completes activities, the “Shuffler Level” (from 0.0 to 3.0) rises or falls, and the computer adjusts the depth or difficulty of the lessons accordingly. In Hospitality English, this takes the form of additional comprehension questions at higher shuffler levels.
The Completion Percentage is shown in the Student’s Records. This is a measure of how thoroughly the student has studied and practiced each lesson. For more detailed information, please see the Business English Advantage Series Teachers Guide or the Records Manager Guide. In general, students should attain an 80-85% Completion Percentage in each lesson. This will ensure that they are going through each lesson several times, progressing from familiarization to comprehension to intensive practice to review to mastery. These steps lead to acquisition and long-term learning.
4 Other Available Components This teacher’s guide accompanies DynEd’s Courseware (on CD-ROM), one of two main components of this course. The other is a picture-process vocabulary book and audio CD, Everyday English for Hospitality Professionals. Both main components focus on customer- contact situations. They can be used independently or in conjunction with each other. Some chapters in the book reinforce the functions and vocabulary presented in the courseware. Other chapters extend learning into additional situations. A separate teacher’s guide is available for Everyday English for Hospitality Professionals, as is a multi-skills activity book.
5 Course Content Hospitality English consists of 6 Units. The key learning points for each are listed below:
Scope and Sequence: Hospitality English
Hospitality English Language Functions Comments Units & Variations
Unit 1: Reception Greeting, confirming Students learn how to:
Dialog 1: Checking a guest in registration information, • make polite requests Dialog 2: Helping a guest who giving information, requesting • give information and arrives too early information, offering confirm it Dialog 3: Explaining hotel suggestions • solve problems in polite facilities and helpful ways Dialog 4: Explaining the Focus strategy: Use • refer problems to a hotel’s mail service and “distancing” language for supervisor security systems polite requests Dialog 5: Solving a problem Could I…? for an unhappy guest Can I….? Could I ask you to…? And what name will that be under….? Unit 2: Restaurant and Bar Dialog 1: Helping a guest Describing places and food, Students learn how to: choose a restaurant for dinner talking about time, suggesting • recommend restaurants Dialog 2: Helping a restaurant solutions, finding out guest and food patron without a reservation preferences, offering, • gently promote the Dialog 3: Seating guests who confirming, checking to see hotel’s own facilities have a reservation that guests are satisfied • take reservations Dialog 4: Offering after-dinner • take a dinner order items and bringing the check Focus strategy: Making polite • be attentive without being suggestions intrusive If you’d like to have…. They’re both good, but… Would you be interested in…? Perhaps some brandy?
Units & Variations Language Functions Comments
6 Hospitality English Language Functions Comments Units & Variations Unit 3: Cashier and Checkout Checking on guest’s Students learn how to: Dialog 1: Checking out a satisfaction, asking for • confirm charges on a bill. satisfied guest detailed information, thanking, • help a guest get transport Dialog 2: Explaining items on explaining items on a list, from the hotel a bill talking about schedules, • explain hotel charge Dialog 3: Helping a guest who responding to an objection, policies disagrees about part of a bill talking about currency • exchange currency Dialog 4: Exchanging • ask for customer currency for a departing guest Focus Strategy: feedback Showing flexibility in handling customer requests I’m sorry you were surprised… I’m afraid we… I’ll print out a separate bill… I’ve adjusted your bill… Unit 4: Guest Services Dialog 1: Taking a guest’s Responding to customer Students learn how to: request for many extra requests, taking a food order • talk about hotel amenities amenities via telephone, describing hotel • open, sustain, and close a Dialog 2: Taking a room- service, explaining rules, telephone conversation service dinner order expressing confidence and • describe the facilities and Dialog 3: Describing exercise control in an emergency, their rules facilities and hotel services for offering options • deal with a guest’s illness children Dialog 1: Helping a guest Focus Strategy: whose child has become ill Using reassuring language They’re all very good with kids… No problem… I totally understand… Don’t worry. We’ll take care of him
Units & Variations Language Functions Comments
7 Hospitality English Language Functions Comments Units & Variations Unit 5: Guest Relations and Sales Talking about schedules, Students learn how to: Dialog 1: Answering questions describing transportation, • describe the details of a about a tour arranged by the making recommendations, hotel-sponsored tour hotel giving directions, arranging a • direct tourists to local Dialog 2: Giving directions to meeting, arranging follow-up attractions a tourist attraction contact • help a guest find a good Dialog 3: Helping a guest shopping area book a future meeting at the Focus strategy: • sell hotel meeting and hotel Simplifying directions; convention services Dialog 4: Giving directions to The easiest way is… a shopping area Go to X and the change to Y… Easily, sir. I can walk there in 15 minutes. Unit 6: Telephone Dialog 1: Taking a reservation Talking about dates, Students learn how to: request over the phone recommending options, asking • take information correctly Dialog 2: Telling a caller that for personal information, over the phone no rooms are available confirming information, • present a friendly phone Dialog 3: Helping a caller clarifying spelling, describing image even if a guest’s leave a message for a guest systems request can’t be filled Dialog 4: Helping a guest find • help a guest find transport transport from the airport to Focus strategy: in an unfamiliar airport the hotel Compensating for the difficulty of phone communication: Let me confirm your reservation …. Hang on. Can you repeat that… Hold on a minute…
Units & Variations Language Functions Comments
8 Lesson Organization
Each unit is divided into several dialogs involving customer-contact situations in a hotel or restaurant. Each unit offers the student options at several stages, as illustrated in the following diagram of Unit 1:
Speech Dictation Language Exercises Focus Exercises Question Practice
Each Hospitality English unit is divided into four or five dialogs. In each Dialog, students can choose to go through Presentation. This is a linear play-through of a conversation that takes place in a hotel.
Interactive Listening: This is the key lesson for each unit. In this lesson, text and Glossary support are available, as well as comprehension questions. Students should go through this lesson several times and in several ways, with the aim of mastering the language ~ not just understanding it. After listening to each section of the dialog without looking at the text, students should begin to focus on the language details. To do this, they should focus on key phrases and practice saying them. Students should record these phrases and compare their recordings with the speakers in the video. By the time they complete the lesson, students should be able to summarize the entire scene with confidence and fluency. If not, they have not completed the lesson.
If a student chooses “Language Exercises” instead of “Dialogs,” his / her next choice is among “Speech Dictation,” “Focus Exercises,” or “Question Practice.”
Speech Dictation: The exercises in this section enable a student to practice saying short passages from the dialogs. DynEd’s unique Speech Recognition feature lets the student know whether his / her rendition of the passage is clear enough to be understood. Ideally, a student will be able to hear the passage clearly and repeat it without having to read it. For students who need extra help, however, the software provides it. By clicking on the buttons on the screen, students can listen to the sentences. The answer will be provided after two incorrect attempts as well.
Focus Exercises: These exercises involve click-and-drag sentence completion. A passage
appears on the screen with three blanks in it and six choices of words or phrases to fill the blanks. The student then hears a passage from the dialog. By moving options into the blanks, the student tries to complete a grammatically-correct response to the passage that he / she heard.
9 Question Practice: This section allows students to construct grammatically correct English questions by correctly arranging sentence elements listed on the screen. The student articulates the question, and DynEd’s Speech Recognition feature gives the student feedback about clarity and correctness. The answers can be input by clicking on the choices as well. However, oral input is preferred.
Mastery Tests: The Mastery tests should be taken after students have studied and reviewed all the lessons in the covered units. A good indicator of this is when students have an 80% or more Completion Percentage in all lessons in the Units to be tested. At this point students should be confident that they can understand and use the language with ease, and they should easily pass the Mastery Test, which requires at least an 80% score.
Records Manager: In order to enable students to take a Mastery Test, the teacher must use the Records Manager to unlock the test. Once a Mastery Test is taken, it will automatically lock again to prevent students from taking it several times in succession. In general, students should score at least 80% on the Mastery Test to pass. The tests are not designed to be tricky or to test unimportant items. Rather they check to see that students have mastered the key points of the units and are ready to go on. If a student scores less than 80-85%, they should review the lessons and try again. If this is done, students will take great strides in acquiring the target language, both syntax and vocabulary, as opposed to short-term memorization, which will quickly fade. Language acquisition means mastery, not momentary ‘understanding’ or short-term memorization.
10 Unit 1: Reception
Background and setting Learning points
Unit 1: Reception Greeting Guests The five dialogs in this unit take place at the Good evening, sir. How may I help you? front desk of an international-class hotel and This is Alberto. How may I help you? by telephone between the front desk and a guest room. The guests—Sam Monroe, Requesting Information Sandra Randall, and Mr. Smith—check in Could I have your name, ma'am? with the front desk clerks, learn about hotel What time would you like your wake-up services, and settle a problem with the call? condition of a room. Mr. Monroe and Ms. What name would that be under, sir? Randall are business travelers, and many of Will you be paying by credit card? their inquiries relate to the use of business services at the hotel. Mr. Smith is traveling Giving Information with his family, including his two young Your room is on the ninth floor. children. It would cost an extra eighty dollars. Even though dialogs 2 and 5 have the Our business center is on the third floor. potential to produce conflict, professional behavior by the front-desk staff helps Offering Suggestion resolve the problems. Perhaps you'd like to have a seat in the lobby while…? You can leave your package at the desk…
Offering Can I help you? May I help you? Would that be all right?
Placement Test Level: 1.7 Goals:
To learn how to: • make polite requests • give information and confirm it • solve problems in polite and helpful ways • refer problems to a supervisor
11 Classroom Activities The amount of class time you spend on each dialog and its related activities will vary. You may decide to devote less time to one aspect of the unit and more time to another. The following is a set of possible activities to use in teaching Unit 1. You may pick and choose from the list to create a line-up that best reflects your class’s goals and your students’ interests.
Please note that both the “Language Exercises” in the software and Exercises A, B, and C in this guide assume that students are familiar with every dialog in the unit. If you decide not to spend much class time on a given dialog, make sure that students do it for homework before trying these cumulative exercises.
~ Class 1 (with each dialog in Unit 1) ~
Background and schema-building: Make sure students know the typical steps in the process of checking in. Where does it take place? Who is typically involved? Why is it necessary? What kinds of information do front desk clerks ask for when they check someone in?
Dialog Presentation: Listen to the entire dialog at least once without stopping. Check comprehension with appropriate questions like: What kind of room does Mr. Monroe want? Why does Alberto put his manager on the phone? The duration of the Unit 1 dialogs is as follows: • Dialog 1 (ca. 1 minute, 25 seconds) • Dialog 2 (ca. 2 minutes) • Dialog 3 (ca. 2 minutes, 33 seconds) • Dialog 4 (ca. 2 minutes, 40 seconds) • Dialog 5 (ca. 2 minutes, 55 seconds)
~ In Class 1 or subsequent class sessions (with each dialog in Unit 1) ~
Key Focus: Use “distancing language” to increase the politeness of a request. In dialog 1, for example, the desk clerk asks the guest, “What name would that be under?” a question with a very indirect (almost hypothetical) tone. Throughout Unit 1, the hotel staff uses “would you like” instead of “do you want”, “could” instead of “can”, and other expressions that show the use of distancing to create politeness. While listening to the dialogs for the 3rd or 4th time, students can try to spot such forms in the dialog and you (or a student helper) can keep a list on the board.
Hints for this activity:
1. You can use the dialog transcripts in this teacher’s guide to help you spot these forms in advance. 2. Use the “rewind” feature of the software to play part of a dialog again if students fail to notice a form that you want them to hear.
Oral Practice: Have students work in pairs or small groups to greet each other and ask typical preliminary “check-in” questions. Good morning, sir / ma’am. Welcome to the Grovewood Hotel. And what name would that be under? Will you be paying by credit card?
12 Follow-up: Have students work on their own with the software. They should not use audio scripts as they answer the questions.
Student recording (optional): You might want the students to make audio or video recordings of themselves practicing the dialog. This can be done individually (with a student playing all roles) or in a small group (with each student saying one character’s lines). Logistically, this can be difficult if your equipment is limited. If students must take turns using recording equipment, they can do this.
Follow up: Once all five dialogs of Unit 1 have been presented and practiced, students should do the Language Exercises several times until the language is completely mastered. When their Completion Percentage is 80% or more for Unit 1, they can go to other related units such as Guest Relations and Sales, which requires higher Placement Test Level. They can also review units such as, Guest service, Cashier & Checkout or Restaurant and Bar.
13 Extension Activities The Accompanying Book, Everyday English for Hospitality Professionals Work with Unit II (Checking Guests In) in the picture-process book, Everyday English for Hospitality Professionals (EEHP).
Complementary Grammar on Display
Because the captions of EEHP are written as a narration by an outside observer, they show some language features that do not come up in the dialogs, but are important for students to learn. For example, the captions show the 3rd-person forms of verbs, many of them in the past tense. Much of the dialog uses verbs in the 1st and 2nd persons and in the present and future tenses.
Complementary vocabulary The captions also give “metalanguage” about customer-contact situations, language that the participants don’t use in the dialog but would use to tell someone else, such as a supervisor, about the encounter. Vocabulary items for many front desk items and activities—room docket software, override the system, status code, etc.--are not part of customer-contact dialogs, but are valuable for any front desk clerk to know.
Role Play When the action in the book diverges a bit from the action in the software, it’s a good opportunity to improvise novel dialogs to deal with the situation. Such creative, lightly scripted classroom activities can reveal many vocabulary and grammar gaps that should be addressed ad hoc by the teacher. For example, a role play exercise could be built around a situation in which a guest’s credit card is not accepted by the system. The caption might say something like “An error message showed that the card was not valid.” The role-play instructions—involving a desk clerk, a guest, and perhaps a supervisor—would be “The system will not accept the guest’s credit card. The desk clerk must report this to the guest, deal with the guest’s response and try to find alternate ways of securing the room.”
Talking about differences
The pictures in DynEd’s courseware necessarily focus on the participants in the dialogs. The pictures in EEHP are more comprehensive, bringing in elements of the hotel environment. This allows extension activities about different front-desk furniture, equipment, and systems. What is this called—a card reader, a spreadsheet, a reservation form? If items and systems in EEHP are different from those students have seen and used, discuss the differences.
In the Workplace or Community
If your students already work in a hotel or hotel restaurant, they should take some time before or after their shifts to observe some aspect of checking in. For example, the assignment could be to determine: When does the stress level go up for front desk clerks? Is it when a tour group checks in? When a guest has a problem? When the guest doesn’t speak English very well? When someone at the front desk goes home sick and the desk is short-handed? How do the desk clerks handle the stress? After one or two days of observation, each student gives an oral report to the class.
If your students have the time and mobility to visit several hotels in town, compare their systems. Does the physical layout of one hotel work more smoothly than others? Does one hotel seem to attract different types of guests than another? How does that affect their check-in systems? Once again, the observation should lead to an oral report to the class.
14 Dialog Scripts Unit 1: Dialog 1 Monroe: Fine. Here it is. Clerk: Thank you, Mr. Monroe. Very Clerk: Good evening, sir. How may I good. Here's your card back. help you? Your room is number four Monroe: Yes. I'd like to check in please. twenty-eight. Here's your key I've got a reservation. card. Will one key card be Clerk: What name would that be under, enough? sir? Monroe: Yes. It's just me. Monroe: Monroe. Sam Monroe. Clerk: The quickest way to your room Clerk: Just a moment, Mr. Monroe, is just up the main elevator here, while I check our system. Yes. then take a right after you get off You'll be with us for three nights. on the fourth floor. Is that correct? Monroe: That's sounds good. Somebody Monroe: Right. Checking out on Sunday. will bring my luggage up, right? When I made this reservation, I Clerk: Yes sir. Welcome, Mr. Monroe. asked for a non smoking room. Enjoy your stay. Clerk: Yes, sir. We've got a non- smoking single for you with a Alternative Ending: king bed. Clerk: May I have your credit card, Monroe: Great. please? Clerk: Could I ask you to fill out this Monroe: Sure. Hang on just a second. I registration form, Mr. Monroe? have to... Here it is. Monroe: Sure. What do I have to do? Clerk: Thank you. I just need an Clerk: Basically just sign it, sir, if all imprint of your card. the information is correct. Our Monroe: Fine. system prints out your address. If Clerk: Okay. Thank you, Mr. Monroe. there are any errors, please let And here's your key card. Your me know. room is on the ninth floor. Monroe: No errors. It looks correct. Monroe: Thank you. Clerk: Excellent. Will you be paying by Clerk: And a newspaper, sir. Would credit card when you check out, you like a morning newspaper? Mr. Monroe? Monroe: Yes, I would, thanks. Do you Monroe: Yes. VISA. have the Times? Clerk: Is that the same card you made Clerk: Yes, we do. Is there anything this reservation with, sir? Last else I can do for you? four digits 9567? Monroe: No, thanks. Which way is the Monroe: That's right. elevator? Clerk: Good. If I could just see your Clerk: It's right over there, to the right card for a moment, I'll take an of the concierge. Have a nice imprint. There is no need to sign stay, Mr. Monroe. anything yet.
15 Dialog Scripts Clerk: I'm afraid not. That's a non- smoking room, ma'am. Unit 1: Dialog 2 Randall: Not good. Sometimes I need my cigarettes. Don't you have any Clerk: Good afternoon, ma'am. May I smoking rooms available? help you? Clerk: Sorry, Ms. Randall. I'm afraid Randall: Well, I hope so. I'm here a day not. early. I have reservations for Randall: I don't know what to do. I'm too tomorrow, but not for today. Will tired to go hunting for another that be a problem? hotel... Clerk: Let me just check. Could I have Clerk: I will do my best, ma'am. your name, ma'am? Perhaps you'd like to have a seat Randall: Randall. Sandra Randall, R-A-N- in the lobby while I see if D-A-L-L. My confirmation anything opens up? number is here on this sheet. Clerk: Hmm....There is a possibility that Clerk: Thank you. Yes, Ms. Randall. I a smoking room may open up at see you on our register for noon. But you'd have to wait tomorrow. Unfortunately, today until then. we're rather booked up. You see, Randall: It's OK. I will wait. there is a conference going on in Clerk: You can leave your luggage with town. us for the time being. Randall: Oh, no. I'm really tired from my Randall: The lobby has a smoking section, flight. You don't have anything? right? Clerk: Well, I do have an executive Clerk: Yes, ma'am. suite for one night, but it would Randall: Okay. cost an extra eighty dollars. And Clerk: I'll send someone for you when you would have to change rooms your room is ready. in the morning. Randall: Uh...Is it a smoking room?
16 Dialog Scripts lunches-salads, pastas, sandwiches. Unit 1: Dialog 3 We also have a fine Italian restaurant on the second floor, Clerk: Okay. Thank you, Ms. Randall. and we offer room service. Oh, Here's your key card. Have a and coffee is available in the nice stay. lobby all day. Randal: Thank you... Oh, where are the Randal: Ok, let me see...I need to set up a elevators? wake-up call. Clerk: Oh sorry. Right behind you. And Clerk: Sure ma'am. You can set it up when you get off at your floor, automatically through the phone turn right. Your room will in your room. But I can set it up be about five doors down, on the now as well. What time would left. you like your wake-up call? Randal: Good. I have a few more Randal: 6:00 a.m., please. questions, though. Clerk: 6:00 a.m. it is. You will receive a Clerk: That's quite all right, ma'am. call at 6:00 a.m. Randal: Could you tell me where the Randal: One last thing. business center is? I need to Clerk: Yes, ma'am. check my e-mail and use a copier Randal: I may need to extend my stay for and a fax machine. a couple of days. Would that be a Clerk: Our business center is on the problem? third floor just to the left of the Clerk: If you call us as far as possible in main elevators. We also have a advance, there shouldn't be any few conference rooms and a problem. meeting area on that floor. Randal: Perfect. Randal: Now, how about recreational Clerk: Is there anything else I can help facilities, like treadmills or a you with? weight room? Randal: No, not for now. Clerk: The exercise room is on the Clerk: Do you need help with your lower level near the pool. It has luggage? treadmills, exercise bikes, free Randal: Oh, yes, sure. weights and much more. Clerk: I'll get a bellman to take your Randal: Great! Now, a very important things to your room. You don't question: where can I get need to wait. breakfast? Randal: Thank you very much. Clerk: There is a café on the main floor Clerk: You’re welcome, Ms. Randall. in the east wing. It serves Have a pleasant stay with us. breakfast from 6:00 until 10:30. From 11:00, it starts serving light
17 Dialog Scripts Unit 1: Dialog 4 Clerk: Our hotel is very safe, sir, but we don't recommend leaving Clerk: OK, sir. You’re all set. Enjoy valuables in your room your stay with us. unsecured. The hotel can't be Monroe: Thank you... oh, before I go up responsible for any lost or stolen to my room, I wanted to ask items in guests' rooms. about shipping things from the Monroe: So, what do I do? hotel. Clerk: If your valuables fit in your room I have some product samples that safe, please keep them there. I will need to send out in the next Monroe: Probably not. They are big and couple of days. Can you handle boxy. that for me? Clerk: Then, maybe you'd like to bring Clerk: No problem. We can arrange them down to the front desk. We shipping them for you in can secure them in the hotel safe. different ways. What did you Monroe: You are right; it is worth the have in mind? Standard mail? An extra effort. Then the hotel is express service? responsible if anything happens Monroe: Probably an express service. I to them, I suppose? want to be able to track delivery. Clerk: We guarantee the safety of the Clerk: We work with UPS, FedEx, valuables left in our deposit DHL and all the major services, boxes, but please leave us a Mr. Monroe. Whichever one you detailed description on the form would like. when you store them. Monroe: Okay, good. So how do I arrange Monroe: Just one more quick question. it? Clerk: Certainly, Mr. Monroe. Clerk: You can leave your package at Monroe: Let's say one of your staff does the desk with the recipient's my shipping for me. Am I name, address and phone number supposed to tip? and we will arrange it. Then we'll Clerk: Well... All our staff serve guests charge it to your room. Just be without expecting any extra sure to package the items reward. The service is part of securely yourself. The hotel can't their job. take responsibility for any Monroe: But you know some people hang breakage. around like they are expecting a Monroe: Sure. I understand. Do you tip..? charge a handling fee on top of Clerk: It is entirely up to you, sir. the service charge? However, the hotel discourages Clerk: Yes, we do, Mr. Monroe. There the staff from asking for tips. is a two dollar and fifty cent Monroe: Thanks very much for your charge. honest advice. Monroe: That is reasonable. I'll let you know when I need to send them. In the meantime, I am a little nervous about having those samples in my room. How is the security here?
18 Dialog Scripts Manager: Hello, Mr. Smith. This is Maria. I am the manager. I understand Unit 1: Dialog 5 there's a serious problem with room 550. Clerk: Hi. This is Alberto. How may I Smith: Yes. I'm really unhappy. help you? Manager: We'll solve the problem, sir, Smith: Yes, we just checked into Room don't worry about that. As 550. Alberto told you, we have no Clerk: Yes, sir. Is everything in order? more non-smoking double Smith: No! Not at all! I reserved a non- double rooms available. smoking room, and the room However, there is a double queen reeks of smoke! available on the seventh floor. Clerk: Let me check...yes. Room 550 is Would that be satisfactory? definitely a non-smoking room. Smith: Is the double queen non- Smith: Well, somebody sure didn't smoking? follow the rules. The drapes, the Manager: Yes, it is, sir. bedspreads, all of it. Yecch! Smith: Are you sure? Can you guarantee Clerk: I'm very sorry about this, sir. that no one has smoked in it Let's see if we can move anyway? you...Hmm. I'm afraid no Manager: I'll confirm that myself before we other non-smoking double move you. double rooms are available. Smith: Yes, but...how much extra will it Smith: Well, we can't stay in 550. Both cost? of my kids have asthma. Even Manager: There will be no extra charge, the smell of smoke sir. We'll transfer you and your causes them to have severe family to Room 734, a non- breathing problems. They can't smoking double queen, charging stay in a smoking room. the same rate you'd have paid for Clerk: No, of course not, sir... Let me a double double. see...would you like to rest in the Smith: Well, thank you. I sure lounge while our staff airs out appreciate that. Room 550? Manager: You're welcome, Mr. Smith. Smith: What? You're joking, right? That is the least we can do. I'll go Airing the room out for an hour check on your Room 734 right won't help at all! now. Clerk: Yes, sir. I'm sorry there's a Smith: How about if I come with you? problem. We'll do everything we Manager: Yes, why don't you? can to make sure you and your Smith: Thanks for your quick response family are comfortable. Excuse to this. me a minute while I speak with Manager: You're welcome. We want you to my manager. We'll see what we enjoy your stay with us. can do. Smith: Oh, I'm sure we will now. Smith: All right.
19 EXERCISES Exercise A Part 1: Fill in the following sentences with answers from the box below: Example: Mr. Monroe’s first name is b .
1. Sam Monroe has ______________ for three weeks.
2. The hotel has already given Sandra _______________. 3. The exercise room is on the lower level ______________ the pool. 4. Mr. Monroe will pay by ______________. 5. Room 550 is a non-smoking ______________ room. 6. ______________ is two dollars and fifty cents. 7. Ms. Randall needs ______________ at 6:00 a.m. 8. ______________ serves breakfast from 6:00 a.m. to 10:30. 9. The elevator is to the right of ______________.
a. a confirmation number f. near
b. Sam g. double double c. the handling fee h. credit card d. a wake-up call i. the cafe e. a reservation j. the concierge.
Part 2: Write a short description of an experience you have had welcoming a hotel guest. If you haven’t yet done this, describe what you have seen other front-desk employees do.
Where were you working at the time? How long have you been working in that position? What was your job title? Where was the guest from? How did it go? Expand your answers into a paragraph about the ideal situation. Add other information that you think is important.
Example: Eventually I would like to work at the front desk of a five-star
hotel like________________.
20 EXERCISES Exercise B
Part 1: Write DC for the front desk clerk or HG for Hotel’s Guest next to each statement.
Example: DC is using a computer during the dialog.
is checking the system.
likes to check in. will check out on Monday. needs to take a print of the credit card. would have to change rooms in the morning. will send for her when the room is ready. will receive a wake-up call in the morning. can't stay in a smoking room. wants to talk to his manager. doesn't have to tip the hotel staff.
Part 2: Listen again to the dialog and put the sentences in the right order.
Example:
1) Sam Monroe. b Yes. I'd like to check in please. I've got a reservation. What name would that be under, sir? a Good evening, sir. How may I help you? Just a moment, Mr. Monroe, while I check our system.
2) Sure, ma'am. I can set it up for you right now.
6:00 a.m., please. You will receive a call at 6:00 a.m. I need to set up a wake-up call. What time would you like your wake-up call?
21 EXERCISES Exercise C
When studying a language, we can benefit from a regular schedule of practice and self-discipline in completing assignments. One way to learn more effectively is by evaluating how well you understand the material you are studying. This checklist will help you check your understanding. If you find a point at which you have difficulty, let your instructor know before you go on to the next lesson. Part 1: Check your progress in this lesson. Circle the number that shows your honest answer. 1= Not at all 2 = Only a little 3 = Somewhat Statement 4 = Almost completely 5 = Completely I know the procedures to check a guest in. 1 2 3 4 5 I know the guests in the dialogs. 1 2 3 4 5 I know how long they are going to stay. 1 2 3 4 5 I know about payment options. 1 2 3 4 5 I can help guests with unexpected check-in issues. 1 2 3 4 5 I know about the hotel facilities. 1 2 3 4 5 I can describe the hotel facilities and give 1 2 3 4 5 directions. I can help guests with their shipping orders. 1 2 3 4 5 I can explain my responsibilities. 1 2 3 4 5 I can describe the hotel where I work. 1 2 3 4 5
Part 2. Circle the number of times you practiced as described in the statement. Practice description Times I practiced in this way In Class: I listened carefully to the presentation in this lesson. 0 1 2 3 I practiced speaking about the topics of this lesson in class. 0 1 2 3 I wrote notes to help me remember information. 0 1 2 3 I asked a question to make information clearer to me. 0 1 2 3 On my own: I thought about how this topic relates to my own experience. 0 1 2 3 I listened to each sentence several times without looking at the text. 0 1 2 3 I used the software's recording feature to practice speaking, and I 0 1 2 3 listened to myself carefully. I tried to improve my pronunciation and fluency as I spoke each 0 1 2 3 sentence. When listening to the dialogs, I tried to guess what would happen 0 1 2 3 next. I used some of the words I learned in this lesson in my daily 0 1 2 3 conversations. I reviewed each part so that I could summarize it with confidence. 0 1 2 3
22 Part 3: Check your understanding of these functions by matching the statement to the function.
a. greeting b. confirming c. giving information d. requesting information
1 _________ Good morning, sir. May I help you?
2. _________ And what name would that be under?
3. _________ Your room is number 428.
4. _________ And you’ll be staying with us three nights, sir?
5. _________ Monroe. Sam Monroe.
23 Unit 2: Restaurant & Bar Describing Background and setting We have tomato florentine and beef Unit 2: Restaurant & Bar barley. The four dialogs in this unit take place at the We have Beef Wellington, which is restaurants and concierge of an wrapped in the chef's special crust international-class hotel. In the first dialog, recipe… Mr. Monroe gets some information about Steak and seafood are its specialties. the hotel’s own restaurants and their services. The concierge will then make a Making suggestion reservation for him and his guests. In the Coffee, perhaps? second dialog, the hostess tries to Would you be interested in dessert? accommodate Ms Lopez and her guests even Perhaps some brandy? though they don’t have a reservation. In the third and forth dialogs, Mr. and Mrs. Porter Offering have a pleasant experience in the hotel’s Would you like to see the menu? restaurant. In the third dialog, the waitress Would you like to hear tonight's specials? tells them about the specials of the night and the menu items, and help them decide what Asking about preferences to eat and drink. In the fourth dialog, the Do you prefer smoking or non-smoking? conversation is about dessert and paying the Will this table be suitable? bill. How do you like your beef cooked? In all dialogs in this unit, the hotel staff try their best to accommodate the guest, either by making reservations for them, finding a Goals: good table for them, or helping them To learn how to: decided what to eat and drink by describing • recommend restaurants and food the menu items. • gently promote the hotel’s own facilities • take reservations Placement Test Level: 2.0 • take a dinner order • be attentive without being intrusive
Learning points
24 Classroom Activities The amount of class time you spend on each dialog and its related activities will vary. You may decide to devote less time to one aspect of the unit and more time to another. The following is a set of possible activities to use in teaching Unit 2. You may pick and choose from the list to create a line-up that best reflects your class’s goals and your students’ interests.
Please note that both the “Language Exercises” in the software and Exercises A, B, and C in this guide assume that students are familiar with every dialog in the unit. If you decide not to spend much class time on a given dialog, make sure that students do it for homework before trying these cumulative exercises.
~ Class 1 (with each dialog in Unit 2) ~
Background and schema-building: Make sure students know the typical characteristics of hotel restaurants. What kinds of restaurants does a large hotel usually have? Name some jobs for hotel employees in the restaurant. Name some of the steps in the process of seating and serving restaurant patrons? What kinds of questions do restaurant waiters ask the customers? What kinds of questions do the customers typically ask?
Dialog Presentation: Listen to the entire dialog at least once without stopping. Check comprehension with appropriate questions like: Does Ms. Lopez have a reservation? Where does Mr. Monroe decide to have dinner tonight? The duration of the Unit dialogs is as follows: • Dialog 1 (ca. 2 minutes, 50 seconds) • Dialog 2 (ca. 1 minute, 28 seconds) • Dialog 3 (ca. 3 minutes, 15 seconds) • Dialog 4 (ca. 1 minute, 50 seconds)
~ In Class 1 or subsequent class sessions (with each dialog in Unit 2) ~
Key Focus: Use “distancing language” to increase the politeness of a making a suggestion. In dialog 1, for example, the concierge promotes the hotel’s restaurant by saying: “Maybe you would like to take a look at our own in-house restaurants”, a suggestion with a very indirect, almost hypothetical, tone. Throughout Unit 2, the hotel staff use “would you like” instead of “do you want”, “could” instead of “can”, and other expressions that show the use of distancing to create politeness. While listening to the dialogs for the 3rd or 4th time, students can try to spot such forms in the dialog and you (or a student helper) can keep a list on the board.
Hints for this activity:
1. You can use the dialog transcripts in this teacher’s guide to help you spot these forms in advance. 2. Use the “rewind” feature of the software to play part of a dialog again if students fail to notice a form that you want them to hear.
Oral Practice: Have students work in pairs or small groups to talk to each other and ask typical preliminary “Restaurant” questions and statements. Ma'am, sir, your table is ready. Please follow me. Would you like to see the menu? Do you prefer smoking or non-smoking? Would you like to hear tonight's specials?
25 Follow-up: Have students work on their own with the software. They should not use audio scripts as they answer the questions.
Student recording (optional): You might want the students to make audio or video recordings of themselves practicing the dialogs. This can be done individually, with a student playing all roles, or in a small group with each student saying one character’s lines. Logistically, this can be difficult if your equipment is limited. If students must take turns using recording equipment, they can do this
Follow up: Once all four dialogs of Unit 2 have been presented and practiced, students should do the Language Exercises several times until the language is completely mastered. When their Completion Percentage is 80% or more for Unit 2, they can go to other related units such as, Cashier & Checkout and Guest Services, which require equal or slightly higher Placement Test Level. Stress the importance of periodic review.
26 Extension Activities The Accompanying Book, Everyday English for Hospitality Professionals Work with Chapter 27 (Signing for drinks or snacks) and all of Unit IV (In the Restaurant) in the picture-process book, Everyday English for Hospitality Professionals (EEHP).
Complementary Grammar on Display
Because the captions of EEHP are written as a narration by an outside observer, they show some language features that do not come up in the dialogs, but are important for students to learn. For example, the captions show the 3rd-person forms of verbs, many of them in the past tense. Much of the dialog uses verbs in the 1st and 2nd persons and in the present and future tenses..
Complementary vocabulary The captions also give “metalanguage” about customer-contact situations, language that the participants don’t use in the dialog but would use to tell someone else (such as a supervisor) about the encounter. Vocabulary items for many restaurant items and activities—seating chart, [an order is] up, etc.--are not part of customer-contact dialogs but are valuable for any restaurant to know.
Role Play When the action in the book diverges a bit from the action in the software, it’s a good opportunity to improvise novel dialogs to deal with the situation. Such creative, lightly scripted classroom activities can reveal many vocabulary and grammar gaps that should be addressed ad hoc by the teacher. For example, a role play exercise could be built around a situation in which the restaurant has run out of the kind of food the customer wanted. The caption might say something like “The chef ran out of grapes, so the order for Chicken Veronique could not be filled.” The role-play instructions—involving a chef, the waiter, and a customer—would be “The restaurant has run out of the food that the customer ordered. The waiter must find this out from the chef, explain it to the customer, and deal with the customer’s response.”
Talking about differences
The pictures in DynEd’s courseware necessarily focus on the participants in the dialogs. The pictures in EEHP are more comprehensive, bringing in elements of the hotel environment. This allows extension activities about different restaurant furniture, equipment, and systems. What is this called—a spatula, a latex glove, a drink tally? If items and systems in EEHP are different from those students have seen and used, discuss the differences.
In the Workplace or Community
If your students already work in a hotel or hotel restaurant, they should take some time before or after their shifts to observe some aspect of interaction between restaurant employees and customers. For example, the assignment could be to determine: When does service typically become slow in a restaurant? What are the factors that slow it down? How do the guests react to the slow service? What does the manager do to speed things up? After one or two days of observation, each student gives an oral report to the class.
If your students have the time and mobility to visit several hotel restaurants in town, compare their systems. Does the physical layout of one restaurant work more smoothly than others? Does one restaurant seem to attract different types of guests than another? How does that affect their way of interacting with customers? Once again, the observation should lead to an oral report to the class.
27 Dialog Scripts Concierge: Very good. Tuscan wines, especially. I have a wine list Unit 2: Dialog 1 here, sir, if you'd like to take a look at it. Concierge: Good afternoon, sir. May I help Monroe: Yes...Hmm you? Concierge: Would you like to see the menu Monroe: Yes, please. Could you suggest as well? some good restaurants near Monroe: Yes...This looks pretty good for here? Close enough to walk to, tonight. I mean. Concierge: I'd be happy to make a Concierge: Certainly, sir. There are several reservation for you for tonight. near the hotel. But maybe you Would you like me to? would like to take a look at one Monroe: That would be great. A table of our own in-house for seven at around 7:30, restaurants. The food is great, please. Non-smoking. and they've been written up in Concierge: Yes, sir. several guidebooks. Monroe: Now, my guests and I might go Monroe: Oh, I didn't know that. What out after dinner. What if we kind of restaurants? came back here for some drinks Concierge: We have two full-service later? Would they still be open? restaurants. The more casual Concierge: Maybe not, sir. I'm afraid they one is called The Platter. have to stop serving drinks at It offers lunch and dinner midnight. But there's a little bar items, like pasta, burgers, soup, just down the block called the and sandwiches. It caters to Floating Chicken. I think families with children and they're always open. those who want a casual Monroe: Thanks for that advice. And atmosphere. you'll make that reservation? Monroe: Do they serve wine? Concierge: Yes, sir. It's my pleasure, Mr. Concierge: No, sir. They don't serve Monroe. alcohol. Just soft drinks, milk, Monroe: Would you leave a message on smoothies, that sort of thing. my voicemail if you have any Monroe: That sounds okay for lunch, but trouble getting that reservation? I was hoping for something a Concierge: I certainly will, sir, but there bit more formal for dinner. won't be any problem. Concierge: Yes, sir. Our restaurant on the Monroe: I suppose not, if you're making second floor, Delfino's, offers the call. The maitre d' wouldn't more elegant dining. Steak and want to get on your bad side, seafood are its specialties. It would he? opens at 5:30 for dinner. Concierge: Don't worry about a thing, Mr. Monroe: How is the wine list? Monroe.
28 Dialog Scripts Lopez: It's Lopez. Hostess: Thank you, Ms. Lopez. If you'd Unit 2: Dialog 2 like to have a seat at the bar, we'll call you when your table's Hostess: Good evening, ma'am. ready. Lopez: Hi. I'd like a table, but I don't Lopez: OK. Any chance of getting a have a reservation. table near the window? Hostess: Table for one? Hostess: We'll do our best, Ms. Lopez. Lopez: Uh...no. There will be...six of us Lopez: Good. And the rest of our altogether. party....? Hostess: A table for six. Do you prefer Hostess: We'll direct them to you in the smoking or non-smoking? lounge if they arrive before your Lopez: Non-smoking please. table's ready. Hostess: Certainly. Six non-smoking. Lopez: Great. Thanks a lot. Oh, let me Hmm....We don't have anything ask you a question: is there an at the moment, but we can set a ATM near here? I think I'd better table for you in just a few get a little money at a cash minutes. machine. Lopez: Well...How long a wait? Hostess: Yes, ma'am. If you turn left past Hostess: It takes only ten or fifteen the gift shop, you'll see one minutes. there. Lopez: Ten minutes... Oh... Okay. Lopez: Great. Thanks a lot. Hostess: And what's the name, ma'am?
29 Dialog Scripts Mr. Porter: OK, I'd like the Beef Wellington, with a baked Unit 2: Dialog 3 potato and the salad bar. Waitress: How do you like your beef Waitress: Ma'am, sir, your table is ready. cooked, sir? Please follow me.... Mr. Porter: Medium rare, please. Porters: Thanks. Waitress: And do you want everything Waitress: Will this table be suitable? on the potato, sir? Porters: Yes. This is nice. Mr. Porter: And what is everything? Waitress: I'll give you a few minutes to Waitress: Butter, sour cream, parmesan look over the menus. Can I get cheese, chive,... you anything to drink? Mr. Porter: Just butter. Mr. Porter: We'd both like ice water, Waitress: Very good. And would you like please, and I'd like a glass of anything to drink with that? beer. Light beer, please. Mr. Porter: Yes, I'd like a half-carafe of red Waitress: That would be MBC, sir. wine; Bordeaux would be nice. Mr. Porter: Fine. Waitress: Very good, sir. Mrs. Porter: I'll just stay with the ice water, Waitress: What would you like, ma'am? thanks. Mrs. Porter: Hmm...I'm thinking about the Waitress: Very good. I'll be back with Chicken Veronique or the your drinks. eggplant lasagna. What do you Waitress: Here you are: water for the suggest? Is one better than the lady and you, sir...and here is other? your beer. Would you like to Waitress: Well...they're both very good, start with some appetizers? but I think I prefer the lasagna. Mrs Porter: No, I guess we are going to Our chef does a very nice sauce skip that tonight. for that. Waitress: Certainly. Would you like to Mrs. Porter: And how about your Chicken hear tonight's specials? Veronique. What is that, Porters: Sure. exactly? Waitress: We have Beef Wellington, Waitress: That is very tasty, too. We which is wrapped in the chef's sauté a boneless breast of special crust recipe. Fresh Gulf chicken, add some spices, and of Mexico red snapper, broiled then simmer it with seedless and served with a garlic/butter green grapes in a white sauce. sauce, and our vegetarian dish Mrs. Porter: That sounds great. I'll have is eggplant lasagna. It's our that. And what is your soup most popular vegetarian dish. today? Mr. Porter: Hmmm... We're not ready to Waitress: We have tomato florentine and order. We'll need a few more beef barley. minutes. Mrs. Porter: I'll have the tomato florentine, Waitress: Take your time, please. Is there please. any question I can answer Waitress: Yes, ma'am. Would you like now? me to bring your soup right Mr. Porter: No, thank you. away? Waitress: Well, it looks like you're ready Mrs. Porter: Yes, Please. to order. Ma'am? Waitress: Very good. Thank you. Sir, Mrs. Porter: I am still thinking. You go help yourself to the salad bar ahead. any time you like. Mrs. Porter: Thanks.
30 Dialog Scripts you like to order dessert? Mr. Porter: Um, no, not for me, I guess. Unit 2: Dialog 4 But maybe you'd like something, Suzanne. Go ahead. Waitress: How did you enjoy your Mrs. Porter: That kiwi cheesecake looks dinners? I hope everything was really good! But I have to satisfactory. watch my calories. I shouldn't. Porters: Yes, thanks. No. No, thank you. Mrs. Porter: The Chicken Veronique was Waitress: How about an after-dinner wonderful! drink to go along with your Waitress: Great! And how was your Beef coffee? Perhaps some brandy? Wellington, sir? Mrs. Porter: No thanks, I don't drink. Mr. Porter: It was very good, thanks. Waitress: And for you sir? Waitress: Is there anything else you Mr. Porter: No thanks. I've had enough. would like? Coffee, perhaps? Besides, I have to wake up Mr. Porter: Yes, I'd like coffee, please. early for a meeting. Suzanne? Waitress: Yes, sir. Mrs. Porter: I'd like coffee, too, please, with Mr. Porter: Thank you. cream. But make it decaf. Waitress: You're welcome. Waitress: Would you be interested in Mr. Porter: Could you bring us some more dessert? coffee later, though...and our Mr. Porter: Well...could we see a dessert check, please? And please menu? charge this to our room. Waitress: Yes, I have a menu right here. Waitress: Yes sir, what was your room I'll bring your coffee while you number? look it over. Mr. Porter: Three, forty two. Waitress: Here is the de-caf with cream Waitress: Yes, sir, right away. for the lady and here is your coffee, sir. So...would
31 EXERCISES Exercise A Part 1. Match the expressions used in the dialogs with a phrase telling the meaning:
1. Maybe you would like to take a look at our a) I prefer a table by the window. own in-house restaurants. _____ b) Do you like this table? 2. I'm afraid they have to stop serving drinks at c) Do you like to have some coffee, midnight. _____ perhaps? 3. Any chance of getting a table near the d) Nothing is available right now. window? _____ e) I suggest you try the hotel’s restaurants. 4. Table for one? _____ f) Would you like to have some dessert? 5. Would you be interested in dessert? g) Do you need a table for one person? _____ h) They don’t serve alcohol after midnight. 6. Will this table be suitable? _____ i) I'll bring it right away. 7. Help yourself to the salad bar._____ j) The salad bar is self-service. 8. Coffee, perhaps? _____ k) I want to eat something.
Part 2. Listen to Dialog 3, in which Mr. and Mrs. Porter order their food. Write up the orders to give to the kitchen.
Table 12
Dinner Items:
Special instructions:
Drinks:
Order taken by:
Time: _____________ Date: __________________
32 EXERCISES Exercise B Part 1: Listen to the dialogs. Complete the statements.
1. Mr. Monroe is asking for a ___l___ table.
2. The bar is in ________. a. waitress b. medium-rare
3. Mr. Porter would like the beef to be ________. c. red wine d. the lounge 4. The Platter doesn't serve ________. e. decaf f. alcohol 5. The ________ brings them their coffee. 6. The ________ dish of the day is eggplant lasagna. g. concierge h. take
7. The ________ makes a reservation for seven people. i. Mr. Monroe j. an ATM 8. There is ________ past the gift shop. k. before l. non-smoking 9. Delfino's opens at 5:30 for ________. 10. Mr. Porter orders some _______ with his dinner. m. dinner n. vegetarian
Part 2: Match the sentences with the functions they demonstrate.
___ 1. May I help you? a. Agreeing
___ 2. Good evening, ma'am. b. Confirming ___ 3. That was one tomato soup, right? c. Greeting ___ 4. I'd like a table, but I don't have a reservation. ___ 5. That sounds fine with me. d. Offering
___ 6. Could we see a dessert menu? e. Requesting
___ 7. How about an after-dinner drink? f. Suggesting
33 EXERCISES Exercise C Part 1. Use the software to play the Dialogs. At each place the dialog stops, record your own voice. Listen to the recording of your voice thoughtfully. Then listen to the speaker in the dialog. Compare your own speech to the speaker's and rate yourself using the following chart. 1 = Strongly disagree 2 = Disagree Statement 3 = Agree somewhat 4= Agree
I speak loudly enough in English to be heard on the recording. 1 2 3 4
I take the time to replay my speech in English whenever I record it. 1 2 3 4
I listen to the speakers carefully before I repeat what they say. 1 2 3 4
I pronounce phrases and words the same way the speakers do. 1 2 3 4
I try to speak with the same intonation as the speakers. 1 2 3 4
I am satisfied with the way I sound when I play back my speech in 1 2 3 4 English.
Part 2. When learning a language, it sometimes helps to pay attention to areas where we need extra effort. In your case, what has been difficult for you in the past two Units? Look back over these Units, and rate your English language skills: Listening Comprehension, Speaking, Grammar, Vocabulary and Expressions, and Pronunciation. Which areas need the most work? Use the Study Recommendations below to help you improve your weak areas.
Rating: 1 (poor) ~ 5 Study
Skill Category (excellent) Recommendations Listening Comprehension without (a) (b (c) using text support. You can catch important see Study Strategies details with confidence. below Speaking (Fluency) ~ Your oral (b) (d) (e) (f) (j) communication is not slow and halting. Grammatical Accuracy ~ Your (c) (h) (i) intended meaning is accurately understood. Clear Pronunciation (d) (e) (j) Others can understand you without difficulty. Vocabulary & Functional Appropriateness (g) (c) (h) (i) Can understand and use appropriate words and phrases.
34 Study Strategies (a) Review the dialogs often. (b) Don’t use the text support, except for language analysis and detailed focus. (c) Listen to difficult sentences several times. Use the Repeat button. (d) Use the Record speech function regularly. (e) Say each sentence several times, and compare it with the model. Do this everyday for 5 or 10 minutes. (f) Practice summarizing the scenes. (g) Do the Language Exercises regularly. (h) Check the text and Glossary entries, and study the examples. (i) Do the Written Exercises. (j) Do the Speech Recognition exercises regularly.
35 Unit 3: Cashier & Checkout
Background and setting
Unit 3: Cashier & Checkout The four dialogs in this unit take place at the Learning points Checkout counter of a hotel. In the first Confirming dialog, the clerk helps Mr. and Mrs. Porter Mr. and Mrs. Porter, right? check out; he gets someone to help them Seven thirteen. Ms. Lopez. with their luggage, and he makes sure their needs have been met during their stay. In the Accepting second dialog, the clerk helps Mr. Monroe Certainly, sir. with his bill, gives him separate bills for Sure. different items, and gives him the bus schedule to get to the airport. In the third Refusing: dialog, the clerk helps a guest who has a I'm sorry, but… problem with the bill: Ms. Lopez is not I’m afraid we… happy with the phone charge and will not pay it. The clerk takes care of the problem Explaining procedures and makes sure that Ms. Lopez has a I'll just pull that up on my screen. peaceful departure. In the fourth dialog, Ms. I am going to tear up the slip… Randall is checking out and has a flight to Malaysia. The clerk helps her exchange Offering: some money and then asks her to fill out a Would you like me to… guest comment cards. In all dialogs, the Do you need help with… hotel staff try their best to accommodate the guests and to make sure that the last part of Goals: To learn how to: their stay at the hotel is satisfactory while • confirm charges on a bill. taking care of their needs. • help a guest get transport to leave the hotel Placement Test Level: 2.0 • explain hotel-charge policies. • exchange currency. • ask for customer feedback.
36 Classroom Activities The amount of class time you spend on each dialog and its related activities will vary. You may decide to devote less time to one aspect of the unit and more time to another. The following is a set of possible activities to use in teaching Unit 3. You may pick and choose from the list to create a line-up that best reflects your class’s goals and your students’ interests.
Please note that both the “Language Exercises” in the software and Exercises A, B, and C in this guide assume that students are familiar with every dialog in the unit. If you decide not to spend much class time on a given dialog, make sure that students do it for homework before trying these cumulative exercises.
~ Class 1 (with each dialog in Unit 3) ~
Background and schema-building: Make sure students know the typical steps in the processes of taking payment and of checking out. Where does it take place? Who is typically involved? Why is it necessary? What kinds of questions do front desk clerks ask for when they check someone out?
Dialog Presentation: Listen to the entire dialog at least once without stopping. Check comprehension with appropriate questions like: Why was Mr. Monroe able to check out so quickly? Did the Porters enjoy their stay? Times of the Unit 1 dialogs are as follows: • Dialog 1 (ca. 2 minutes, 10 seconds) • Dialog 2 (ca. 2 minutes) • Dialog 3 (ca. 2 minutes, 33 seconds) • Dialog 4 (ca. 2 minutes, 40 seconds)
~ In Class 1 or subsequent class sessions (with each dialog in Unit 3) ~
Key Focus: Being able to express the proper amount of flexibility in solving guests’ problems. The hotel employees in this unit use several expressions that preserve the hotel’s dignity while granting the guest some of what he / she wants. Expressions like I’m sorry you were surprised…,I’m afraid we…,I’ll print out a separate bill…, I’ve adjusted your bill… are designed to avoid arguments over small things and to make the guests feel that their problems are being taken seriously. Nevertheless, they avoid making unnecessary apologies when the hotel is not truly at fault. While listening to the dialogs for the 3rd or 4th time, students can try to spot such forms in the dialog, and you (or a student helper) can keep a list on the board.
Hints for this activity:
1. You can use the dialog transcripts in this teacher’s guide to help you spot these forms in advance. 2. Use the “rewind” feature of the software to play part of a dialog again if students fail to notice a form that you want them to see.
Oral Practice: Have students work in pairs or small groups to greet each other and ask typical preliminary “check-out” questions. Good, morning, sir / ma’am. Would you like to check out? Didn't you receive your express-checkout bill? Did you enjoy your stay, sir?
37 Follow-up: Have students work on their own with the software. They should not use audio scripts as they answer the questions.
Student recording (optional): You might want the students to make audio or video recordings of themselves practicing the dialog. This can be done individually, with a student playing all roles, or in a small group, with each student saying one character’s lines. Logistically, this can be difficult if your equipment is limited. If students must take turns using recording equipment, they can do this.
Follow up: Once all four dialogs of Unit 3 have been presented and practiced, students should do the Language Exercises several times until the language is completely mastered. When their Completion Percentage is 80% or more for Unit 3, they can go to other related units such as, Reception and Guest Services, which require equal or slightly higher Placement Test Level. Stress the importance of periodic review.
38 Extension Activities The Accompanying Book, Everyday English for Hospitality Professionals Work with Unit II (Checking Guests In) in the picture-process book, Everyday English for Hospitality Professionals (EEHP).
Complementary Grammar on Display
Because the captions of EEHP are written as a narration by an outside observer, they show some language features that do not come up in the dialogs but are important for students to learn. For example, the captions show the 3rd-person forms of verbs, many of them in the past tense. Much of the dialog uses verbs in the 1st and 2nd persons and in the present and future tenses..
Complementary vocabulary The captions also give “metalanguage” about customer-contact situations, language that the participants don’t use in the dialog but would use to tell someone else (such as a supervisor) about the encounter. Vocabulary items for many front desk items and activities—room docket software, override the system, status code, etc.--are not part of customer-contact dialogs, but are valuable for any front desk clerk to know.
Role Play When the action in the book diverges a bit from the action in the software, it’s a good opportunity to improvise novel dialogs to deal with the situation. Such creative, lightly-scripted classroom activities can reveal many vocabulary and grammar gaps that should be addressed ad hoc by the teacher. For example, a role play exercise could be built around a situation in which a guest’s credit card is not accepted by the system. The caption might say something like “An error message showed that the card was not valid.” The role-play instructions—involving a desk clerk, a guest, and perhaps a supervisor—would be “The system will not accept the guest’s credit card. The desk clerk must report this to the guest, deal with the guest’s response and try to find alternate ways of securing the room.”
Talking about differences
The pictures in DynEd’s courseware necessarily focus on the participants in the dialogs. The pictures in EEHP are more comprehensive, bringing in elements of the hotel environment. This allows extension activities about different front-desk furniture, equipment, and systems. What is this called—a card reader, a spread sheet, and a reservation form? If items and systems in EEHP are different from those students have seen and used, discuss the differences.
In the Workplace or Community
If your students already work in a hotel or hotel restaurant, they should take some time before or after their shifts to observe some aspect of cashier work or of checkout. For example, the assignment could be to determine: What factors lead to problems with charges and payments? Unexpected charges? Credit-card problems? Dissatisfaction with hotel services? How do the desk clerks or cashiers handle the problems? After one or two days of observation, each student gives an oral report to the class.
If your students have the time and mobility to visit several hotels in town, compare their payment and checkout systems. Does the physical layout of one hotel work more smoothly than others? Does one hotel seem to have mare unsatisfied guests than another? How does that affect their check-out systems? Once again, the observation should lead to an oral report to the class.
39 Dialog Scripts Mr. Porter: Yes, right. The same one I made the reservation with. Unit 3: Dialog 1 Cashier: Thank you, sir. Here's a new charge slip with the total on Cashier: Good morning. it. Mr. Porter: Good morning. We'd like to Cashier: I am going to tear up the slip check out. you signed at check-in. Cashier: Certainly. Could I have your Mr. Porter: That would be fine. room number, please? Cashier: Okay. Could you please sign Mr. Porter: Room...uh...three-forty two. here, sir? Cashier: Three-forty two. Mr. Porter: Sure. Cashier: I'll just pull that up on my Cashier: Thank you, Mr. Porter. Mrs. screen.... Mr. and Mrs. Porter, Porter. You're all set. I hope right? your stay was comfortable. Mr. Porter: That's right. Mrs. Porter: Oh, we had a great time. Our Cashier: Thank you, sir. Have you suite was very nice. used the mini-bar today? Cashier: I'm glad you enjoyed your Mrs. Porter: No, we haven't used it at all. stay. Would you like me to Cashier: Very good, ma'am. I'll print get someone to help you with out a copy of your bill. your bags? Cashier: Here's your bill, sir. Does Mr. Porter: Yes, please. We're parked in everything look correct? the ramp, so maybe I'll drive Mr. Porter: Um... it does to me. How around to the front. about to you, Suzanne? Cashier: That would be fine, sir. I'll Mrs. Porter: Let me see...The room have one of our bellmen meet charges are right. One you at the front door. restaurant charge. That's Mr. Porter: OK. Thank you. correct. Mrs. Porter: Thanks. Cashier: Would you like to charge this Cashier: You're welcome. Thank you to your MasterCard? for staying with us. We hope to see you again soon.
40 Dialog Scripts Monroe: Okay. I'd like to pay the telephone and movie charges Unit 3: Dialog 2 with cash. Can you give me a separate bill for those? Cashier: Good morning, sir. Are you Cashier: Certainly, sir. Just a minute, ready to check out? please. I'll print out a separate Monroe: Yes, I'd like to check out, please. bill for each. Cashier: Do you have your key card? Monroe: Thanks. That would be great. Monroe: Yes, I do. It's right here. Cashier: May I have your credit card? Cashier: Thank you. Did you enjoy your Monroe: Sure. stay, sir? Cashier: Is there anything else I can do for Monroe: Yes, I did. you? Cashier: Did you use the mini-bar this Monroe: Yes, I have to get to the airport. morning? When is the next shuttle? Monroe: No, I didn't. Cashier: The next shuttle leaves at Cashier: Okay. Here is your list of 10:45...That's ten minutes from charges. now. You have plenty of time. Monroe: Is this the room charge? Monroe: About how long does it take to Cashier: Yes, that's the room charge, and get to the airport? this is the room tax. Cashier: It usually takes about 45 minutes Monroe: I see. And what is this? at this time of day, sir. Cashier: This is a telephone charge, and Monroe: Thank you. this is a movie charge. Cashier: You're welcome, sir. Please come again.
41 Dialog Scripts Lopez: A charge to use your phone line? You must be kidding. Unit 3: Dialog 3 Cashier: It's a standard practice, ma'am. We describe it in the calling Cashier: Good morning, ma'am. Are you guide that we place in every checking out? room. Lopez: Yes, please. Checking out of Lopez: I am not going to pay four seven thirteen. dollars just to... Cashier: Seven thirteen. Ms. Lopez. Cashier: I'm sorry you were surprised by Lopez: That's right. the fee, Ms. Lopez. Would you Cashier: Didn't you receive your express like me to cancel that charge? checkout bill, Ms. Lopez? Lopez: Well, I hope you will cancel it. I Lopez: Yes, I did, but... have never heard such a thing Cashier: Was everything in order? before and I tell you, I travel a Lopez: Well, there is a very big mistake lot. here. Cashier: I've just adjusted your bill, Cashier: I'm very sorry to hear that, ma'am. Does it look right now? ma'am. Where is the mistake? Lopez: Yes. Finally. I cannot believe a Lopez: There. Right there. It says four- nice hotel like this would charge fifty for a local telephone call. people to use their phones. Cashier: Yes, ma'am. That includes the Cashier: Sorry you were surprised, Ms. four-dollar trunk charge. Lopez. Glad we could solve the Lopez: Trunk charge? And what problem. Now, will you be exactly is a trunk charge? paying by credit card? Cashier: It's a charge for access to the Lopez: Yes. The same card that's on my hotel lines, ma'am. express checkout bill.
42 Dialog Scripts Randall: Okay, I have to make sure I'm on that. Can someone help me Unit 3: Dialog 4 with my luggage? Cashier: Certainly. I'll call someone Cashier: Good morning, Ms. Randall. from the bell staff. Would you like to check out? Randall: I have one last question: Do Randall: Good morning. Yes. I have to you exchange currency here? go home eventually. I'm off to Malaysia next, and Cashier: Did you enjoy your stay with I need to get some Malaysian us? ringgit. Randall: Absolutely. Cashier: Yes, ma'am. Will that be Cashier: I'm glad to hear this, Ms. cash or traveler's checks? Randall. Randall: Cash. Randall: Here's my key card and...Was Cashier: Current exchange rate for I supposed to get a copy of cash is...zero-point-three- my bill in my room? eight-eight-two-one-four. Cashier: Sorry, ma'am. I'm afraid we Cashier: How much would you like to didn't have your room on our exchange? express-checkout list. Randall: Uh...four hundred dollars, Randall: Oh, that's okay. I was just please. wondering. Cashier: Okay. Can I just see your Cashier: Here is your list of charges. passport, ma'am? Thank you. Could you please look it Cashier: That's five hundred fifteen over? ringgit, and here's a dime Randall: Thanks...everything looks back for the change. You're fine. all set. Cashier: And please just sign this Randall: Thanks very much for credit card slip. everything. Randall: Sure. There you are. Cashier: You're welcome, ma'am. Cashier: Thank you, ma'am. Is there Thanks for staying with us. anything else we can help you Oh, here's one of our guest with? comment cards. Would you Randall: Yes, when will the airport mind taking a few moments shuttle be leaving? to fill it out? Cashier: The next one should leave Randall: Sure. I'll fill it out while I here in 15 minutes. wait for the shuttle. Cashier: Thank you, Ms. Randall.
43 EXERCISES Part 1: Listen again to the dialog and put the sentences in the right order.
Example:
1) ____ I’ll just pull that up on my screen.... Mr. and Mrs. Porter, right? ____ Room...uh...three-forty two. b Certainly. Could I have your room number, please? ____ That's right. a Good morning. We'd like to check out.
2) ____ Yes, I'd like to check out, please.
____ Yes, I do. It's right here. ____ Good morning, sir. Are you ready to check out? ____ Thank you, sir. ____ Do you have your key card?
3) ____ I'm very sorry to hear that, ma'am. Where is the mistake? ____ Yes, ma'am. That includes the four-dollar trunk charge. ____ Was everything in order? ____ There. Right there. It says four-fifty for a local telephone call. ____ Well, there is a very big mistake here.
Part 2: Write a short description of an experience you have had checking out a hotel guest. If you haven’t yet done this, describe what you have seen other front-desk employees do.
Where were you working at the time? How long have you been working in that position? What was your job title? How did the experience go? Expand your answers into a paragraph about the ideal situation. Add other information that you think is important.
Example: Eventually I would like to work at a five-star hotel like________________.
44 EXERCISES Exercise B Part 1. Listen to the dialogs again. Check the sentences. Circle T for True or F for False. After each statement, write the expression you heard in the dialogs that provides the answer. 1. T / F Mr. Monroe wants to pay cash for the phone and movie charges. I'd like to pay the phone and movie charges with cash. 2. T / F The Porters used the mini-bar the night before leaving.
3. T / F Ms. Lopez has already received the express checkout bill.
4. T / F Ms. Randall is going to Hong Kong.
5. T / F The Porters need to take the next shuttle.
6. T / F This is one of the few hotels that charges for access to its phone lines.
7. T / F Ms. Randall didn’t receive an express-checkout bill.
8. T / F The clerk can’t cancel the trunk charge for Ms. Lopez.
Part 2. Complete the text with phrases from the box.
a. Could I b. May I c. from my d. would you e. I'm sorry, but
f. I'm afraid g. Can I h. Would that i. I understand j. that I Clerk: (1) __________ help you? Guest: Yes. (2) __________ change American dollars for Malaysian ringgit here? Clerk: Yes, certainly sir. How much (3) __________ like to change? Guest: Four hundred dollars, please. Also, could I cash this personal check (4) __________ Washington bank? Clerk: (5) __________ that isn't possible. Our policy is that we do not cash out-of-town checks. Guest: It's very important (6) __________cash this check. Clerk: Yes, (7) ____________, but the hotel policy... Guest: (8) __________ see the manager please? Clerk: (9) ____________ the manager, Ms. Chow, is out right now. The assistant manager, Mr. Crane, is in. (10) __________ be all right? Guest: Yes, that’s fine. Thank you.
45 EXERCISES Exercise C Part 1. This checklist is meant to help you evaluate the effort you put into studying this lesson. Circle the number of times you practiced as described in the statement. Practice description Times I practiced in this way In Class: I listened carefully to the presentation in this lesson. 0 1 2 3 I practiced summarizing or role-playing portions of this lesson. 0 1 2 3 I wrote notes to help me remember information or phrases. 0 1 2 3 On my own: I thought about how this topic relates to my own experience. 0 1 2 3 I listened to each sentence several times without looking at the text. 0 1 2 3 I used the software's recording feature to practice speaking, and I 0 1 2 3 listened to myself carefully. I tried to improve my pronunciation and fluency as I spoke each 0 1 2 3 sentence. I reviewed the dialogs so that I could summarize each one with 0 1 2 3 confidence. I used some of the words from this lesson in my daily conversations. 0 1 2 3
Part 2. When learning a language, it sometimes helps to pay attention to areas where we need extra effort. In your case, what has been difficult for you in the past two Units? Look back over these Units, and rate your English language skills: Listening Comprehension, Speaking, Grammar, Vocabulary and Expressions, and Pronunciation. Which areas need the most work? Use the Study Recommendations below to help you improve your weak areas. Rating: 1 (poor) ~ 5 Study Skill Category (excellent) Recommendations Listening Comprehension without (a) (b (c) using text support. You can catch important see Study Strategies details with confidence. below Speaking (Fluency) ~ Your oral (b) (d) (e) (f) (j) communication is not slow and halting. Grammatical Accuracy ~ Your (c) (h) (i) intended meaning is accurately understood. Clear Pronunciation (d) (e) (j) Others can understand you without difficulty. Vocabulary & Functional Appropriateness (g) (c) (h) (i) Can understand and use appropriate words and phrases.
46 Unit 4: Guest services
Background and setting Learning points
Unit 4: Guest Services Greeting on the phone The four dialogs in this unit take place over Room service. May I help you? the phone. In each dialog the hotel staff help Hello. Front Desk. May I help you? the guests or answer their questions. In the first dialog, Mr. Reynolds calls to request Using reassuring language some amenities from the guest services. In I totally understand… the second dialog, Ms. Parin calls room Don’t worry. We’ll take care of him. service to place an order for dinner. In the third dialog, Mr. Reynolds calls the guest Describing services to ask about the hotel’s exercise We have several different areas. facilities. In the last dialog, the clerk helps a It's free of charge to hotel guests, sir. guest with a sick child. In all dialogs in this unit, the hotel staff try their best to Responding to customer requests accommodate the guest either by answering Of course, sir. their questions about the hotel’s amenities or No problem, sir. by sending them what they need to their rooms. Offering help Is there anything else I can do? In the Language Exercises, there are Will there be anything else? vocabulary exercises that are designed to help housekeeping staff learn vocabulary Housekeeping vocabulary necessary to perform their daily tasks. This section is interactive and very focused. Goals: To learn how to: • talk about hotel amenities • open, sustain, and close a telephone Placement Test Level: 1.7 conversation • describe the facilities and their rules • deal with a guest’s illness
47 Classroom Activities The amount of class time you spend on each dialog and its related activities will vary. You may decide to devote less time to one aspect of the unit and more time to another. The following is a set of possible activities to use in teaching Unit 4. You may pick and choose from the list to create a line-up that best reflects your class’s goals and your students’ interests.
Please note that both the “Language Exercises” in the software and Exercises A, B, and C in this guide assume that students are familiar with every dialog in the unit. If you decide not to spend much class time on a given dialog, make sure that students do it for homework before trying these cumulative exercises.
~ Class 1 (with each dialog in Unit 4) ~
Background and schema-building: Make sure students know how to communicate on the phone as a person involved in the Guest Services. How does it begin? Who is typically involved? What kinds of information do front desk clerks ask for when they pick up the phone? How do they elicit information? How do they end a conversation politely? How do they put the guest on hold politely?
Dialog Presentation: Listen to the entire dialog at least once without stopping. Check comprehension with appropriate questions like: Why doesn’t Mr. Reynolds want the hotel to do his laundry? Why does the room service clerk mention that the restaurant is still open? The duration of the Unit 4 dialogs is as follows: • Dialog 1 (ca. 3minutes, 10 seconds) • Dialog 2 (ca. 2 minutes) • Dialog 3 (ca. 2 minutes, 33 seconds) • Dialog 4 (ca. 2 minutes, 40 seconds)
~ In Class 1 or subsequent class sessions (with each dialog in Unit 4) ~
Key Focus: Use “distancing language” to increase the politeness of a request or explaining regulations. The emphasis in this unit is to hold a phone conversation while being clear and polite. Throughout Unit 4, the hotel staff uses “would you like” instead of “do you want”, “could” instead of “can”, and other expressions that show the use of distancing to create politeness. While listening to the dialogs for the 3rd or 4th time, students can try to spot such forms in the dialog and you (or a student helper) can keep a list on the board.
Hints for this activity:
1. You can use the dialog transcripts in this teacher’s guide to help you spot these forms in advance. 2. Use the “rewind” feature of the software to play part of a dialog again if students fail to notice a form that you want them to hear.
Oral Practice: Have students work in pairs or small groups to have a phone conversation together. For this exercise to resemble a real situation, it’s better if students don’t sit face to face.
Housekeeping, how can I help you?
Could you hold a minute, please? Hello. Front Desk. May I help you? Good morning. May I help you?
48 Vocabulary: Have students explain or draw the picture of the items they work with to perform their jobs without saying the name of the object. The task for the rest of the class is to guess the name.
Follow-up: Have students work on their own with the software. They should not use audio scripts as they answer the questions.
Student recording (optional): You might want the students to make audio or video recordings of themselves practicing the dialog. This can be done individually, with a student playing all roles, or in a small group, with each student saying one character’s lines. Logistically, this can be difficult if your equipment is limited. If students must take turns using recording equipment, they can do this.
Follow up: Once all four dialogs of Unit 4 have been presented and practiced, students should do the Language Exercises several times until the language is completely mastered. When their Completion Percentage is 80% or more for Unit 4, they can go to other related units such as, Reception, Cashier & Checkout and Restaurant & Bar, which require equal or slightly higher Placement Test Level. Stress the importance of periodic review.
49 Extension Activities The Accompanying Book, Everyday English for Hospitality Professionals Work with Units II (Checking in), III (Hotel Services) and VI (Dealing with Problems) in the picture-process book, Everyday English for Hospitality Professionals (EEHP).
Complementary Grammar on Display
Because the captions of EEHP are written as a narration by an outside observer, they show some language features that do not come up in the dialogs but are important for students to learn. For example, the captions show the 3rd-person forms of verbs, many of them in the past tense. Much of the dialog uses verbs in the 1st and 2nd persons and in the present and future tenses.
Complementary vocabulary The captions also give “metalanguage” about customer-contact situations, language that the participants don’t use in the dialog but would use to tell someone else (such as a supervisor) about the encounter. Vocabulary items for many housekeeping activities, medical items, and hotel amenities—vacuuming, making a bed, medication, urgent-care clinic, note paper, pillow mint, etc--are not part of customer-contact dialogs but are valuable for any front desk clerk to know.
Role Play When the action in the book diverges a bit from the action in the software, it’s a good opportunity to improvise novel dialogs to deal with the situation. Such creative, lightly-scripted classroom activities can reveal many vocabulary and grammar gaps that should be addressed ad hoc by the teacher. For example, a role play exercise could be built around a situation in which a guest’s room is a terrible mess. The caption might say something like “The housekeeper found the room in total disarray.” The role-play instructions—involving one or two housekeepers, a supervisor, and perhaps a maintenance person—would be “The guest has left a terrible mess in the room. The housekeeper must report this to the supervisor, make sure nothing is broken or stolen, and somehow clean the room up.”
Talking about differences
The pictures in DynEd’s courseware necessarily focus on the participants in the dialogs. The pictures in EEHP are more comprehensive, bringing in elements of the hotel environment. This allows extension activities about different front-desk furniture, equipment, and systems. What is this called—a card reader, a spread sheet, and a reservation form? If items and systems in EEHP are different from those students have seen and used, discuss the differences.
In the Workplace or Community
If your students already work in a hotel or hotel restaurant, they should take some time before or after their shifts to observe some aspect of checking in. For example, the assignment could be to determine: What kinds of safety precautions do housekeepers take? What hazards do they face during the workday? How do they deal with them? Do hotel rules protect the workers sufficiently? After one or two days of observation, each student gives an oral report to the class.
If your students have the time and mobility to visit several hotels in town, compare their systems. Does the housekeeping or medical service of one hotel work more smoothly than others? Do hotels differ in how much they typically clean a room? Within the same hotel, do some rooms get more attention than others? Is room service faster at one hotel than another? Once again, the observation should lead to an oral report to the class.
50 Dialog Scripts Mr. Reynolds: One more thing, if you don't mind. Unit 4: Dialog 1 Housekeeper: Not at all, sir. I'm happy to answer any questions you may Housekeeper: Housekeeping. have. Mr. Reynolds: Uh...yes...This is room thirteen Mr. Reynolds: Okay, well, my wife wants me to fifty one. do some laundry. Do you have Housekeeper: Yes, sir. May I help you? coin-operated machines for the Mr. Reynolds: I'm just wondering, can I get an guests? You know...like at a extra pillow and blankets? laundromat? Housekeeper: Certainly, sir. Did you check for Housekeeper: Yes. There are a few machines on extras in the closet? the lower level next to the Mr. Reynolds: In the closet...No, I didn't..uhhh.... vending-machine area. Just a second....No. Nothing Mr. Reynolds: Great. there. Housekeeper: Or you can bag the laundry and Housekeeper: I'm very sorry sir. I'll remind our set it out in the hall. The hotel staff to make sure each room has will do it for a small fee, as listed extras. We'll send up an extra on the laundry slip in your closet. pillow and blanket right away. Mr. Reynolds: Uh, no thanks. My wife is Mr. Reynolds: Thank you. Oh, hang on. My wife very...uh...careful with money. I is asking… think I'll just use the machines. Housekeeper: Yes, sir? Housekeeper: I totally understand. Mr. Reynolds: Can we get some extra toiletries Mr. Reynolds: One last thing. too? Shampoo, conditioner, and Housekeeper: Yes, sir. lotion? Mr. Reynolds: I need an adaptor for foreign Housekeeper: Of course, sir. electric plugs for my laptop. Mr. Reynolds: And another toiletry Housekeeper: A plug adaptor, not an AC thing...Maybe you don't have this, adaptor, right? but I forgot my toothbrush and Mr. Reynolds: OK. All I really need to do is to toothpaste. plug my laptop into the wall. It Housekeeper: No problem. We'll send you a has a switch that allows me to dental-care kit, sir. It has floss, a change from 120 to 220. It is the toothbrush, etc. Will there be plug that I have a problem with. It anything else? won't fit. Mr. Reynolds: I guess not. But let me Housekeeper: I will send a plug adapter. I'll check....My wife says that the also send the extra pillows, ironing board doesn't open up. blankets and the toiletries you She wanted to iron a shirt, but... asked for. Housekeeper: I'm sorry about that, sir. When Mr. Reynolds: That is wonderful. I guess we are we bring up your extra bedding not going to bother you anymore. and toiletries, we'll check the Housekeeper: No problem, sir. ironing board. Mr. Reynolds: Thanks a lot. Housekeeper: You're welcome.
51 Dialog Scripts Clerk: Okay, first of all, there's a spinach salad. It's served with grilled chicken breast, Unit 4: Dialog 2 mandarin oranges, slivered almonds, and sliced mushrooms. They are all on a bed Clerk: Room service. May I help you? of fresh baby spinach leaves. It's served Parin: Yes, please. I'd like to place an order with the dressing of your choice. Then for dinner. there's a... Clerk: Yes, ma'am. How can I help you? Parin: No need to go any further. That spinach Parin: I've got a copy of your menu, but I don't salad sounds great! I'd like to order that. see any dinner salads on it. Can I order Clerk: It is very good, ma'am. One spinach one anyway? salad...what kind of dressing would you Clerk: Let me see. The menu lists a house like with it? salad, which is available as a side dish Parin: Oh, let's see... how about ranch dressing with any of the main dishes, as well as on the side? cole slaw. Clerk: Very good. The spinach salad comes with Parin: Yes, but I want a big salad, a dinner a warm French roll and butter. salad, not just a side dish. I mean, I Parin: Oh, that sounds good. want the salad to be my dinner... my Clerk: Would you like anything to drink with main course. that? Clerk: Oh, I see.... Could you hold a minute, Parin: Yes, could I have a bottle of mineral please? water, too? Parin: Yes. Clerk: Yes, ma'am. Will that be all? Clerk: Thank you for waiting ma'am. We'll be Parin: Yes. happy to serve you a dinner-size salad. Clerk: Thank you for your order. It should arrive The restaurant is still open. We can just in about 20 minutes. have them prepare one of the salads on Parin: Great! Thank you. their menu for you. Clerk: You're welcome, ma'am. Parin: Great! What do they have?
52 Dialog Scripts Reynolds: That sounds great. How much does it cost? Unit 4: Dialog 3 Clerk: It's free of charge to hotel guests, sir. All we ask is that you tell the Clerk: Hello. Front Desk. May I help you? attendants where they can reach you. Reynolds: Yes. This is Mr. Reynolds in 1351, Reynolds: Is that open all day, or only certain Shhhh! Kids! Quiet down! Sorry. hours, or...? I'm calling to ask about your Clerk: The hours are from eight in the exercise facilities. Are they for morning until seven-thirty in the family use? evening. Clerk: Most of them are for the whole Reynolds: That's really good. We'll check it out. family, sir. Clerk: Is there anything else I can do for Reynolds: Okay...uh.. What facilities do you you, sir? have? I know there's a list Reynolds: Well, you said that some facilities somewhere in this room, but I can't are not for the whole family. Which find it. areas are off-limits to kids? Clerk: We have several different areas. The Clerk: Actually, no children under age 16 pool is kid-friendly and we usually are allowed in our Shape Up Health have a couple of lifeguards on duty Club. It has private membership, there. Still, we would like every including some very serious child under twelve to be weightlifters and lap swimmers. I'm accompanied by an adult. sure you understand. Reynolds: Sure. Reynolds: Yeah. Sure. What about adult guests Clerk: We also have our Kids' Club. It's a of the hotel? Can I go work out kind of a free-play area. Mats on the there? ground, a ball pit, drawing stations, Clerk: You're welcome to use the Shape Up that sort of thing. Club for a nominal charge of two Reynolds: Is it supervised? dollars. Just show your guest pass at Clerk: Yes. It's staffed by at least three the door. attendants, and they're all really good with kids.
53 Dialog Scripts Reynolds: I'm really worried. I don't have any idea who to call. We don't know Unit 4: Dialog 4 anyone here in this city. Clerk: Don't worry, Ms. Reynolds. We Clerk: Good morning. May I help you? have a long list of doctors who've Reynolds: Yes, we're staying in Room 1351, helped us in the past. and I need some help right away. Reynolds: That's a relief. Clerk: Yes...Ms. Reynolds. What seems to Clerk: Now, we can either have an be the problem? Emergency Team here in 5 minutes Reynolds: My three-year-old son Brian got sick and take him to the emergency room overnight and is running a high at Assumption Hospital...or... fever. I just took his temperature, Reynolds: No. Sorry. No emergency rooms. and my thermometer reads…let me He'll sit there shivering for three see...102.5. hours. Clerk: Oh. He must be very uncomfortable, Clerk: You're probably right, ma'am. ma'am. How can I help? Reynolds: I'm not even sure we should take him Reynolds: He's got the chills and sweats, so the outside. He's really weak. room seems cold to him. But never Clerk: The alternative to an ER or an mind that. The room temp reads 72, outside clinic is to keep him in bed so that's not the problem. here while I call around to find a Clerk: Still, I'll contact Maintenance to doctor to come to the hotel. It could check that room temperature. But for take a long time, though. now let's concentrate on getting a Reynolds: But at least he'll be resting. doctor for your son. Meanwhile, could you send up some Reynolds: A house doctor? Do you have one? ibuprofen? It will help lower his That would be great. fever. Clerk: No, ma'am. I'm sorry. I wish we Clerk: Of course. Don't worry ma'am. We'll could afford to keep one on staff, but take care of him. we can't.
54 Vocabulary List a shower cap: If you don't want to wash your hair when you take a shower, you need to wear a shower cap.
towels: The housekeeping staff leave many towels in the guests' bathroom.
slippers: It is more comfortable to walk in slippers in your hotel room.
a bathrobe: Some hotels provide bathrobes for the guests in the pool area or the gym.
a hairdryer: In some hotels, a hairdryer is on the wall in the bathroom.
a shower head: New shower heads have different settings and can be adjusted for different water streams.
a rollaway bed: Guests in a hotel can ask housekeeping to bring a rollaway bed to their rooms.
sheets: In some hotels, the housekeeping staff change the bed sheets three times a week.
a mattress: Some people like to sleep on very soft mattresses.
pillows: There are usually extra pillows and blankets in the guest room closets.
a blanket: Hotel guests can ask for extra pillows and blankets from housekeeping.
a portable crib: Most hotels provide portable cribs for guests with babies.
Shampoo: Shampoo is used for washing one's hair.
Lotion: Lotion and shampoo are both toiletries.
Soap: Most hotels have a toiletry basket with different soaps, shampoos, and body lotions.
a toothbrush and toothpaste: When guests forget to bring their toothbrush and toothpaste, they can call housekeeping for a dental kit.
dental floss: A dental kit has dental floss, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and mouthwash.
shaving cream and a razor: Some hotels provide guests with a razor and shaving cream.
an iron: Guests can use an iron and an ironing board to smooth out any wrinkles in their clothes.
an ironing board: The ironing board is usually folded in the closet in each guest room.
a TV set: Almost every hotel room has a TV set.
a remote control: If the remote control in your room has a dead battery, you should call housekeeping.
a mini-bar: Most hotels have a full mini-bar in each room.
55 a coffee maker: Some guest rooms come with a coffee maker.
an AC adaptor: Guests with electrical items from another country may need an AC adaptor.
plug adaptors: You need a plug adaptor if the electric plugs in your country have different shapes.
in-room safe: Guests set their own combination for an in-room safe.
a radio/alarm clock: There is usually a radio/alarm clock on the night stand by the bed in each room.
a sewing kit: Most housekeeping departments keep sewing kits for guests who lose a button.
a shoe-shine sponge: You can shine your shoes with a shoe-shine sponge.
56 EXERCISES Exercise A Part 1. Listening for details Read the sentences below. Listen to the dialogs again and complete the sentences. The number in the brackets refers to the respective dialog.
1. An extra pillow and blankets should be in ____________. [1]
2. A dental-care kit has ___________________. [1] 3. Nancy Parin would like to order ________________ for dinner. [2] 4. The spinach salad comes with ____________________. [2] 5. The Kid’s Club is open from _______________ until _______________. [3] 6. ____________________ are allowed in our Shape Up Health Club. [3] 7. The guest's son has ________________. [4] 8. The clerk contacts _____________ to check that room temperature. [4]
Part 2. Listen to the conversation between the guests and the hotel staff again. Complete the sentences.
1. Ms. Reynolds needs a doctor because
2. Ms. Reynolds doesn’t want to take her son to the emergency room because
3. The Kids Club is very safe because
4. The guests cannot leave their kids in the Kid’s Club after 8:00 p.m. because
5. Ms. Parin calls Room Service because
6. Ms. Parin cannot order a salad from the menu because
7. Mr. Reynolds needs a plug adapter because
8. Mr. Reynolds needs a dental kit because
57 EXERCISES Exercise B Part 1: Fill in the correct answer.
a. sewing kits b. shampoo c. bathrobes d. a plug adaptor e. the ironing board
f. a dental kit g. mattresses h. the bed sheets i. slippers j. an in-room safe
1. In some hotels, the housekeeping staff change __________ everyday.
2. Mr. Reynolds needs __________ because the electric plug for his computer has a different shape. 3. Most housekeeping departments keep __________ for guests who lose a button. 4. ______________ in Mr. Reynolds’ room doesn’t open and he needs to iron his shirt. 5. __________ is used for washing one's hair. 6. Some people like to sleep on very soft __________. 7. You should set your own combination for _____________. 8. _____________ has dental floss, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and mouthwash. 9. Some hotels provide _____________ for the guests in the pool area or the gym. 10. It is more comfortable to walk in __________ in your hotel room.
Part 2: Write HS for the hotel staff or HG for Hotel’s Guest next to each sentence.
Example: “I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.” __HC__ 1. “I'd like to place an order for dinner.” ______ 2. “Will there be anything else?” ______ 3. “Most of them are for the whole family, sir.” ______ 4. “Thank you for waiting, ma'am.” ______ 5. “Could I have a bottle of mineral water?” ______ 6. “It should arrive in about 20 minutes.” ______ 7. “Are they for family use?” ______ 8. “It's free of charge to hotel guests, sir.” ______ 9. “Don't worry, ma'am. We'll take care of him.” ______ 10. “A house doctor? Do you have one?” ______
58 EXERCISES Exercise C Part 1. This checklist is meant to help you evaluate the effort you put into studying this lesson. Circle the number of times you practiced as described in the statement. Times I practiced in this Practice description way In Class: I listened carefully to the presentation in this lesson. 0 1 2 3
I practiced summarizing or role-playing portions of this lesson. 0 1 2 3
I wrote notes to help me remember information or phrases. 0 1 2 3
On my own I thought about how this topic relates to my own experience. 0 1 2 3 I listened to each sentence several times without looking at the 0 1 2 3 text. I used the software's recording feature to practice speaking, and 0 1 2 3 I listened to myself carefully. I tried to improve my pronunciation and fluency as I spoke each 0 1 2 3 sentence. I reviewed the dialogs so that I could summarize each one with 0 1 2 3 confidence. I used some of the words from this lesson in my daily 0 1 2 3 conversations. Part 2. When learning a language, it sometimes helps to pay attention to areas where we need extra effort. In your case, what has been difficult for you in the past two Units? Look back over these Units, and rate your English language skills: Listening Comprehension, Speaking, Grammar, Vocabulary and Expressions, and Pronunciation. Which areas need the most work? Use the Study Recommendations below to help you improve your weak areas. Rating: 1 (poor) ~ 5 Study Skill Category (excellent) Recommendations Listening Comprehension without (a) (b (c) using text support. You can catch important see Study Strategies details with confidence. below Speaking (Fluency) ~ Your oral (b) (d) (e) (f) (j) communication is not slow and halting. Grammatical Accuracy ~ Your (c) (h) (i) intended meaning is accurately understood. Clear Pronunciation (d) (e) (j) Others can understand you without difficulty. Vocabulary & Functional Appropriateness (g) (c) (h) (i) Can understand and use appropriate words and phrases.
59 Unit 5: Guest Relations and Sales
Background and setting Learning points
Unit 5: Guest Relations and Sales Making recommendations All the dialogs in this unit take place at the The doorman can get you a cab if you'd concierge counter of a hotel except Dialog 3 like. that occurs at the front desk area. In the first If I were you, I'd take the train. dialog, the concierge gives Ms. Randall Giving directions some information about the tour of the city. Take the subway straight out of King's He listens to her concerns and gives her Cross Station … options. In the second dialog the concierge Circular Station is where you want to get helps Mrs. Porter find the best way to get to off. the Opera House. He gives her a map of the Talking about schedules city and shows her the direction. On the The bus leaves at 9:00. third dialog, the event planner gives Ms. We’ll arrive at the restaurant between Randall some information about booking a 12:15 and 12:30. conference at the hotel and what the hotel Responding to customer requests can offer to the attendees. The last dialog Of course, sir. takes place at the concierge counter again. No problem, sir. Mr. Monroe wants to buy a souvenir for his Offering help wife and the concierge recommends a good Is there anything else I can do? place to go. He also gives him the directions. Will there be anything else? In all dialogs, the hotel staff try their best to accommodate the guests and to make sure that they have all the answers Goals: To learn how to: to their questions. • describe the details of a hotel- sponsored tour • direct tourists to local attractions • help a guest find a good shopping area • sell hotel meeting and convention Placement Test Level: 2.2 services
60 Classroom Activities The amount of class time you spend on each dialog and its related activities will vary. You may decide to devote less time to one aspect of the unit and more time to another. The following is a set of possible activities to use in teaching Unit 5. You may pick and choose from the list to create a line-up that best reflects your class’s goals and your students’ interests.
Please note that both the “Language Exercises” in the software and Exercises A, B, and C in this guide assume that students are familiar with every dialog in the unit. If you decide not to spend much class time on a given dialog, make sure that students do it for homework before trying these cumulative exercises. ~ Class 1 (with each dialog in Unit 5) ~ Background and schema-building: Make sure students know how to give information about local attractions and how to give directions. They also need to learn to give different transportation options to the guest. Talking about city maps and bus or train schedule is a very good way to build background information.
Dialog Presentation: Listen to the entire dialog at least once without stopping. Check comprehension with appropriate questions like: Where does Mrs. Porter want to go? When will the guests gather in the lobby for the tour of the city? When is the sales meeting? What does Ms. Randall need for the business meeting?
~ In Class 1 or subsequent class sessions (with each dialog in Unit 5) ~
Key Focus: The focus should be on getting information to find out the needs of the guests and giving answers, options, and directions. In dialog 1, for example, the concierge informs the guest of her options by saying, “The quickest and easiest way is by taxi, but it is expensive.” In this way, the guest knows that if she takes a taxi, she will end up paying more. Throughout Unit 5, the hotel staff uses “would you like” instead of “do you want”, “could” instead of “can”, and other expressions that show the use of distancing to create politeness. While listening to the dialogs for the 3rd or 4th time, students can try to spot such forms in the dialog and you (or a student helper) can keep a list on the board.
Hints for this activity:
1. You can use the dialog transcripts in this teacher’s guide to help you spot these forms in advance. 2. Use the “rewind” feature of the software to play part of a dialog again if students fail to notice a form that you want them to hear.
Oral Practice: Have students work in pairs or small groups to ask each other questions about local interests and how to get there. The students should take turns in asking for and giving information.
Which days were you hoping to book?
How many people do you expect? If I were you, I'd take the train.
61 Here's a little map of the system for you. The whole trip takes about 15 minutes.
Follow-up: Have students work on their own with the software. They should not use audio scripts as they answer the questions.
Student recording (optional): You might want the students to make audio or video recordings of themselves practicing the dialog. This can be done individually (with a student playing all roles) or in a small group (with each student saying one character’s lines). Logistically, this can be difficult if your equipment is limited. If students must take turns using recording equipment, they can do this.
Follow up: Once all five dialogs of Unit 5 have been presented and practiced, students should do the Language Exercises several times until the language is completely mastered. When their Completion Percentage is 80% or more for Unit 5, they can go to other related units such as, Telephone, which requires slightly higher Placement Test Level. Stress the importance of periodic review.
62 Extension Activities The Accompanying Book, Everyday English for Hospitality Professionals Work with Unit V (Concierge Services) and some chapters in Unit I (Before a Guest arrives) and the gift shop chapter in Unit III (Hotel Services) in the picture-process book, Everyday English for Hospitality Professionals (EEHP).
Complementary Grammar on Display
Because the captions of EEHP are written as a narration by an outside observer, they show some language features that do not come up in the dialogs but are important for students to learn. For example, the captions show the 3rd-person forms of verbs, many of them in the past tense. Much of the dialog uses verbs in the 1st and 2nd persons and in the present and future tenses.
Complementary vocabulary The captions also give “metalanguage” about customer-contact situations, language that the participants don’t use in the dialog but would use to tell someone else (such as a supervisor) about the encounter. Vocabulary items for many concierge items and activities—drawing a map, gathering a tour group, bus schedule, etc--are not part of customer-contact dialogs but are valuable for any front desk clerk or concierge to know.
Role Play When the action in the book diverges a bit from the action in the software, it’s a good opportunity to improvise novel dialogs to deal with the situation. Such creative, lightly-scripted classroom activities can reveal many vocabulary and grammar gaps that should be addressed ad hoc by the teacher. . For example, a role play exercise could be built around a situation in which a guest gets involuntarily separated from a tour group. The caption might say something like “The bus was gone when MR. Reynolds walked out the door.” The role-play instructions—involving a shop clerk, a guest, the concierge at his home hotel (by telephone), and perhaps a bus driver—would be “The guest is stranded because the tour bus left without him. He doesn’t know how to get back to the hotel by himself or how to reconnect with the tour.”
Talking about differences
The pictures in DynEd’s courseware necessarily focus on the participants in the dialogs. The pictures in EEHP are more comprehensive, bringing in elements of the hotel environment. This allows extension activities about different tour arrangements, guest activities, travel facilities, etc. What do the guests want to find? (a place to rent motorcycles, a nearby jogging route, a historical monument)? If items and systems in EEHP are different from those students have seen and used, discuss the differences.
In the Workplace or Community
If your students already work in a hotel or hotel restaurant, they should take some time before or after their shifts to observe some aspect of checking in. For example, the assignment could be to determine: What difficulties commonly pop up when a tour is being organized. How much responsibility does the hotel take? What do the hotel employees do? What kinds of English expressions do they need to control a tour group? After one or two days of observation, each student gives an oral report to the class. If your students have the time and mobility to visit several hotels in town, compare their systems. Does one hotel do a better job than another at directing its guest, offering them interesting options, or directing them as they explore the city? What services do guests most often ask for? Does one concierge’s personality more effectively solve problems better than another’s? Which services do guests seem most thankful for? Does one hotel do a better job of providing these? Once again, the observation should lead to an oral report to the class.
63 Dialog Scripts Concierge: Well, the quickest and easiest way is by taxi, but it is Unit 5: Dialog 1 expensive. You could always take the subway, but then you Ms. Randall: Excuse me. I have some would have to walk from the questions about tomorrow's nearest stop, Capital Station, tour of the city. to the hotel. That would take Concierge: Certainly. How can I help you about ten minutes. you? Ms. Randall: Do you have a subway map? Ms. Randall: I'm not sure how to read the Concierge: Yes. You can have this one. schedule. Does the bus leave Our hotel is here, and Capital the hotel at 9:00 or does it Station is here. arrive downtown at 9:00? Ms. Randall: What time does the last train Concierge: I guess that's not very clear run on the subway? from this brochure. The tour Concierge: You'll have to check the bus leaves the hotel at 9:00. schedule madam, depending We meet in the lobby at 8:50. on where you want to board. I Ms. Randall: Okay. And what about lunch? think the last train reaches How much time will we have Capital Station at about for lunch? midnight. Concierge: You'll arrive at the restaurant Ms. Randall: Is it safe to walk from the between 12:15 and 12:30. It's subway at night? a buffet lunch, and you'll have Concierge: This is a fairly safe area. The about an hour before you have police keep it pretty well to get back on the bus. patrolled. If there are two or Ms. Randall: A buffet? I hope it's not all more of you, you should be all meat and fish. Will there be right. vegetarian choices? Ms. Randall: I see. One last question. Concierge: Yes, madam. There's a salad Concierge: Yes, madam? bar, vegetable soup, a lot of Ms. Randall: Can you recommend a vegetarian dishes. restaurant with a nice view of Ms. Randall: Good. Now, let's say my the city? friends and I want to stay in Concierge: Any particular type of food? the city longer than the tour Ms. Randall: We like most kinds of food. stays. Will it be okay to leave Italian, Chinese, Mexican , the tour? whatever. As long as the Concierge: Sure. You're our guests, not restaurant has vegetarian our prisoners. But please let items. us know if you decide to leave Concierge: Well, one of my favorite the tour. places is near the opera house. Ms. Randall: Of course. If we do that, It's called The Encore. But what's the best way to get you'll need reservations if you from the city back to the want a table. Would you like hotel? me to reserve a table for you? Ms. Randall: Yes, please. Thank you!
64 Dialog Scripts Circular Station. That is where you want to get off. Unit 5: Dialog 2 Ms. Porter: Oh. That sounds complicated. Concierge: Not at all. The whole trip takes Concierge: Hello. May I help you? about 15 minutes. I will Ms. Porter: Yes, my husband and I are highlight the stations on your wondering how to get to the map. Opera House. Ms. Porter: That might be the way to go. Concierge: From up here in King's Cross, Then if we have enough energy, you'd want to take some sort of we can walk back. Now, transport. anything else in the area we Ms. Porter: Oh, is it too far to walk? Too should see? dangerous? Concierge: Do you like animals? Concierge: It's a little far if you want to Ms. Porter: Of course we do, but I'd really have any energy left for rather not go to a zoo. sightseeing. Dangerous? Not at Concierge: Fair enough. The zoo is far all. away--anyway. I was going to Ms. Porter: You're right that there's no point recommend the Botanical in getting exhausted. Gardens. Concierge: If I were you, I'd take the train. Ms. Porter: Why? Ms. Porter: The subway? Concierge: When you see the birds and the Concierge: That's right. Here's a little map tree wallabies, you'll know what of the system for you. You can I mean. keep it. Ms. Porter: Oh, I see! I guess it would be a Ms. Porter: So we can take the subway real adventure then. straight out of King's Cross Concierge: I think so! Station...right across the street? Ms. Porter: Well, thanks for your help. Concierge: Yes, but notice that you have to Concierge: You're welcome, madam. Have go to Town Hall station first and a great time. then change to the Inner West Ms. Porter: We will. Thank you! line. That will take you up to
65 Dialog Scripts Chan: Let me check conference room availability. Yes. Conference Room C Unit 5: Dialog 3 would be available those dates. We can seat up to 110 people comfortably. Clerk: Hello, may I help you? Randall: That sounds good. Would you offer Randall: Yes, My name is Sandra Randall. I'm any refreshments during the meetings? staying at the hotel now, but I have a Chan: We usually provide bread rolls, pastries, question that relates to a future event. and coffee all morning. You could I'm thinking of trying to hold our order lunch in the room as well. Our annual sales conference here in May. usual afternoon service includes Clerk: Yes, ma'am. Thank you for thinking cookies, juice, and coffee. Of course, about us. we can customize any way you like. Randall: Are you the person I should discuss this Randall: Would the conference room be with or is there someone...? equipped with projectors, computers, Clerk: Actually, Ms. Randall, let me go back etc.? to the offices to try to find one of our Chan: The technology is pretty much up to event planners. If you could just wait you. We can arrange nearly anything. here for a moment, please. Randall: Sure. We can work out the details later. Randall: Sure! Chan: Right. Will the attendees stay at our Chan: Ms. Randall, my name is Beatriz Chan. hotel? If so, we can give you lower I handle special bookings. How are you prices for all the guest rooms. today? Randall: Yes, Well...that's nice. Can you work up Randall: I'm fine. And you? some pricing packages so we can Chan: Wonderful. I understand you might compare them to other possible want to book a conference with us. arrangements? Randall: That's right. I'm with Freshpoint Chan: Certainly. Do you have a rough idea Personal Products. Here's my card. how many guest rooms you'd need in Chan: Thank you! Now, which days were you the hotel? hoping to book? Randall: Well, that's hard to guess right now. Randall: Let me check my calendar. we're Sixty to eighty I guess, but I don't looking at the second Thursday and really know. When would I need to get Friday of May. some final numbers to you? Chan: May 10 and 11, right? Busy season. Chan: The sooner the better, of course. I'll try Randall: Oh, no. I've waited too long? to keep Conference Room C and about Chan: Not necessarily. How many people do 80 guest rooms free for a few days you expect? while you think about it. Randall: Our sales force is about 85 people. Randall: How about if I call you this coming Some won't be able to make it, but I Monday or Tuesday? think we need room for about 80. Chan: That's fine, Ms. Randall.
66 Dialog Scripts Concierge: And Turner's Square is here, just south of the auditorium, along Unit 5: Dialog 4 the river. Monroe: That looks pretty far. Are you Concierge: Good evening, sir. How are you this sure that's within walking evening? distance? Monroe: Great! Thank you. Concierge: Easily, sir. I can walk there in Concierge: Have you enjoyed your stay with us about fifteen minutes. so far? Monroe: I don't know about that. You're Monroe: It has been wonderful! much younger than me, son, but Concierge: I am glad to hear that, sir. Well, how OK. I'll walk. Is that a tough can I help you this evening? neighborhood? Monroe: Let's see. I'm trying to find a good Concierge: No, sir, not at all. It's where the souvenir shop near here. Some place old city used to be. Old I can walk to. warehouses remodeled into shops Concierge: What did you have in mind, sir? and galleries. Monroe: Hmm. I'm not sure. I want to get my Monroe: All right. I'll give it a try. What's wife something made locally. What's the address? a good place for that? Concierge: Let me just write it down for you Concierge: We have an excellent souvenir shop here, on the back of one of our right here in the hotel. cards. And a phone number of Monroe: I'm sure it's very good. Maybe some one of the galleries, Violetta's other time. I feel like getting out into Galleria. the town a little tonight. Monroe: Twenty-four Dockside Place. Concierge: Of course, sir. This area is known for Concierge: That's right, sir. Would you like its pottery. There's a very nice me to call ahead for you and find collection of pottery galleries, out what their hours are? Turner's Square, near the river. Monroe: No, no thanks. If one place isn't Monroe: That sounds good. Can you show me open, I'll just explore until I find on the map? another. Concierge: Yes, sir. It's...well...The hotel is right Concierge: Very good, Mr. Monroe. The here... doorman can get you a cab if Monroe: aha... you'd like. Monroe: A cab? I'm walking, remember?
67 EXERCISES Exercise A Part 1. Listening for the details. Listen to the dialogs and complete the following sentences: a. about 15 minutes b. in May. c. its pottery d. by taxi e. conference Room C f. about 85 people g. at 8:50 h. the auditorium i. at 9:00 j. across the street
1. Ms. Randall should be in the lobby ________. [1]
2. The tour bus leaves the hotel ________. [1] 3. The quickest and easiest way to get back to the hotel is ________. [1] 4. King's Cross Station is ______________. [2] 5. The whole trip takes ___________. [2] 6. Ms. Randall is thinking of trying to hold her company’s annual sales conference at the hotel ________. [3] 7. Their sales force is ___________. [3] 8. _____________ would be available those dates. [3] 9. This area near Mr. Monroe’s hotel is known for ________. [4] 10. Turner's Square is south of ___________. [4]
Part 2. Listen to the dialogs again. Check the sentences. Circle T for True or F for False. Then, write the expression you heard in the dialogs that provides the answer. 1. T / F Ms. Randall didn’t have the schedule of the tour. I'm not sure how to read the schedule. 2. T / F The tourists will have two hours for lunch. ____________________________________ 3. T / F Ms. Randall seems to be a vegetarian. ____________________________________ 4. T / F Mr. and Mrs. Porter can walk to the Opera House. ____________________________________ 5. T / F Mrs. Porter doesn’t want to go to the zoo. ____________________________________ 6. T / F The hotel doesn’t provide refreshments during the conference. ____________________________________ 7. T / F The sales force in Ms. Randall’s company is about 85 people. ____________________________________ 8. T / F Mr. Monroe decides to buy something at the hotel’s souvenir shop. _______________________________________
68 EXERCISES Exercise B Part 1: Listen again to the dialog and put the sentences in the right order.
Example:
1) ____ Does the bus leave the hotel at 9:00 or does it arrive downtown at 9:00? ____ We meet in the lobby at 8:50. b Certainly. How can I help you? ____ The tour bus leaves the hotel at 9:00. a Excuse me. I have some questions about tomorrow's tour of the city.
2) ____ My husband and I are wondering how to get to the Opera House. ____ It's a little far if you want to have any energy left for sightseeing. ____ From up here in King's Cross, you'd want to take some sort of transport. ____ Is it too far to walk? ____ Dangerous? Not at all.
3) ____ How are you today?
____ I handle special bookings. ____ I'm fine. And you? ____ Ms. Randall, my name is Beatriz Chan. ____ Wonderful, Thank you.
Part 2: Write a short description of a place near where you live that tourists might want to visit. For example, write about a museum or an old historic building. Then write how to get there from where you live.
Example: VC Morris Gift Shop is the only building in San Francisco designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
69 EXERCISES Exercise C Part 1: This checklist is meant to help you evaluate the effort you put into studying this lesson. Circle the number of times you practiced as described in the statement.
Practice description Times I practiced in this way
In Class: I listened carefully to the presentation in this lesson. 0 1 2 3 I practiced summarizing or role-playing portions of 0 1 2 3 this lesson. I wrote notes to help me remember information or 0 1 2 3 phrases. On my own I thought about how this topic relates to my own 0 1 2 3 experience. I listened to each sentence several times without 0 1 2 3 looking at the text. I used the software's recording feature to practice 0 1 2 3 speaking, and I listened to myself carefully. I tried to improve my pronunciation and fluency as I 0 1 2 3 spoke each sentence. I reviewed the dialogs so that I could summarize each 0 1 2 3 one with confidence. I used some of the words from this lesson in my daily 0 1 2 3 conversations. Part 2: When learning a language, it sometimes helps to pay attention to areas where we need extra effort. Look back over these Units, and rate your English language skills: Listening Comprehension, Speaking, Grammar, Vocabulary and Expressions, and Pronunciation. Which areas need the most work? Use the Study Recommendations below to help you improve your weak areas. Rating: 1 (poor) Study Skill Category ~ 5 (excellent) Recommendations Listening Comprehension without (a) (b (c) using text support. You can catch important see Study Strategies details with confidence. below Speaking (Fluency) ~ Your oral (b) (d) (e) (f) (j) communication is not slow and halting. Grammatical Accuracy ~ Your (c) (h) (i) intended meaning is accurately understood. Clear Pronunciation Others can understand you without (d) (e) (j) difficulty. Vocabulary & Functional Appropriateness (g) (c) (h) (i) Can understand and use appropriate words and phrases.
70 Unit 6: Telephone
Background and setting Learning points
Unit 6: Telephone Confirming information All the dialogs in this unit take place on the Let me confirm your reservation. phone. In two of the dialogs, the guests call So it is for three nights. to make reservations at the hotel. In the first Clarification dialog, everything goes smoothly and Ms. Was that Marin Karini? Karini makes a reservation for a double Would that be arrival on Friday the fifth? queen room for four people for three nights. Recommending options In the second dialog, the clerk cannot You could also try the Mountain Hotel. provide the caller with the type of room he If you prefer, I can connect you with her requests. However, the clerk helps him find voicemail. another hotel where he can get a room. In Asking for information the third dialog, the caller wants to talk to May I have your credit card number? one of the guests who is staying at the hotel. What type of room are you looking for? When he realizes that the guest is not in Offering help her room, he leaves her a message. In Is there anything else I can do? the last dialog, the clerk is taking a call Will there be anything else? from a guest at the airport who needs to Describing systems know how to get to the hotel. In all The shuttle service has a standard route Our system activates a light on her guest dialogs, the hotel staff try their best to room phone. accommodate the guests, make sure that they have all the answers to their questions and politely confirm and Goals: repeat the information they get on the To learn how to: phone. • take information correctly over the phone. • present a friendly phone image even if a guest’s request can’t be filled. • help a guest find transport in an unfamiliar airport. Placement Test Level: 2.2 • be helpful in any way possible on the phone.
71 Classroom Activities The amount of class time you spend on each dialog and its related activities will vary. You may decide to devote less time to one aspect of the unit and more time to another. The following is a set of possible activities to use in teaching Unit 6. You may pick and choose from the list to create a line-up that best reflects your class’s goals and your students’ interests.
Please note that both the “Language Exercises” in the software and Exercises A, B, and C in this guide assume that students are familiar with every dialog in the unit. If you decide not to spend much class time on a given dialog, make sure that students do it for homework before trying these cumulative exercises. ~ Class 1 (with each dialog in Unit 6) ~ Background and schema-building: Having a conversation on the phone is usually more difficult than face to face conversations. Make sure students know the importance of accuracy and clarity on the phone. You can present them with an example of a phone conversation in the classroom focusing on opening and maintaining the conversation. Focus on what to say when they pick up the phone; how to address the caller; what to ask in different possible situations in the hotel.
Dialog Presentation: Listen to the entire dialog at least once without stopping. Check comprehension with appropriate questions like: What kind of room does Ms. Karini want? Why are rooms so hard to find at the time the caller wants one? The duration of the Unit 6 dialogs is as follows: • Dialog 1 (ca. 1 minute, 25 seconds) • Dialog 2 (ca. 2 minutes) • Dialog 3 (ca. 2 minutes, 33 seconds) • Dialog 4 (ca. 2 minutes, 40 seconds)
~ In Class 1 or subsequent class sessions (with each dialog in Unit 6) ~
Key Focus: Role-play having a conversation on the phone. Use “distancing language” to increase the politeness of a request. In dialog 1, for example, the clerk asks the guest, “May I have your name, please?” a very polite question. Throughout Unit 6, the hotel staff uses “would you like” instead of “do you want”, “could” instead of “can”, and other expressions that show the use of distancing to create politeness. While listening to the dialogs for the 3rd or 4th time, students can try to spot such forms in the dialog and you (or a student helper) can keep a list on the board.
Hints for this activity:
1. You can use the dialog transcripts in this teacher’s guide to help you spot these forms in advance. 2. Use the “rewind” feature of the software to play part of a dialog again if students fail to notice a form that you want them to hear.
Oral Practice: Have students work in pairs to have a conversation on the phone. They can practice phrases such as:
Pine Ridge Hotel. May I help you?
Let me confirm your reservation for you. What type of room are you looking for? Pine Ridge Hotel, front desk, Alberto speaking.
72 Follow-up: Have students work on their own with the software. They should not use audio scripts as they answer the questions.
Student recording (optional): You might want the students to make audio or video recordings of themselves practicing the dialog. This can be done individually (with a student playing all roles) or in a small group (with each student saying one character’s lines). Logistically, this can be difficult if your equipment is limited. If students must take turns using recording equipment, they can do this.
Follow up: Once all five dialogs of Unit 6 have been presented and practiced, students should do the Language Exercises several times until the language is completely mastered. When their Completion Percentage is 80% or more for Unit 6, they will be ready to take a mastery test. Stress the importance of periodic review.
73 Extension Activities The Accompanying Book, Everyday English for Hospitality Professionals Work with relevant chapters in Unit I (Before a Guest Arrives) and Unit III (Hotel Services) in the picture-process book, Everyday English for Hospitality Professionals (EEHP).
Complementary Grammar on Display
Because the captions of EEHP are written as a narration by an outside observer, they show some language features that do not come up in the dialogs but are important for students to learn. For example, the captions show the 3rd-person forms of verbs, many of them in the past tense. Much of the dialog uses verbs in the 1st and 2nd persons and in the present and future tenses.
Complementary vocabulary The captions also give “metalanguage” about customer-contact situations, language that the participants don’t use in the dialog but would use to tell someone else (such as a supervisor) about the encounter. Vocabulary items for many phone-related objects—button, key, receiver— can be added to what students learn from the software.
Role Play When the action in the book diverges a bit from the action in the software, it’s a good opportunity to improvise novel dialogs to deal with the situation. Such creative, lightly scripted classroom activities can reveal many vocabulary and grammar gaps that should be addressed ad hoc by the teacher. For example, a role play exercise could be built around a situation in which a caller is frantic about reaching a guest immediately. The caption might say something like “The caller insisted that he must reach the guest immediately.” The role-play instructions—involving a desk clerk, a caller, and perhaps a supervisor—would be “The caller is very upset about not being able to reach the guest, and he won’t hang up. The desk clerk must deal with the caller’s anxiety and, if possible, suggest alternatives.”
Talking about differences
The pictures in DynEd’s courseware necessarily focus on the participants in the dialogs. In this chapter, the software, with its audio, can more realistically demonstrate the phone conversations than a print resource can. Nevertheless, the pictures in EEHP are more comprehensive, bringing in elements of the hotel environment. This allows extension activities about different front-desk furniture, equipment, and systems. What is this called (a handset, paging, a cell phone)? If items and systems in EEHP are different from those students have seen and used, discuss the differences.
In the Workplace or Community
If your students already work in a hotel or hotel restaurant, they should take some time before or after their shifts to observe some aspect of telephone work. For example, the assignment could be to determine: When do desk clerks seem to have the most trouble on the phone? Getting basic information? Disengaging from chatty callers? Dealing with callers who have strong accents? How do the desk clerks handle the difficulty? After one or two days of observation, each student gives an oral report to the class. If your students have the time and mobility to visit several hotels in town, compare their systems. Does the phone system—voice mail, message-taking multiple lines, guest paging, etc.—of one hotel work more smoothly than others? Does one hotel get more complaints from guests than another about phone-related services? How could the hotels improve their phone services? Once again, the observation should lead to an oral report to the class.
74 Dialog Scripts Clerk: "Maryn" That's a beautiful name, Ms. Karini. Unit 6: Dialog 1 Karini: Thank you. Clerk: May I have your credit card number? Clerk: Pine Ridge Hotel. May I help you? Karini: Yes, it’s a Visa, number 1234 5678 Karini: Yes. I'd like to book a room for three 9012. nights. Clerk: Thank you. And the expiration date? Clerk: Yes, ma'am. Which day will you be Karini: Let's see... expires oh-two, ten. arriving? Clerk: zero-two, ten. Thank you. Let me Karini: Let's see. I want the first weekend of confirm your reservation for you. next month. Clerk: We have reserved a double queen Clerk: Would that be arrival on Friday the room for four for the nights of fifth, checking out Monday the September 4th, 5th, and 6th, for a eighth? charge of $239.70 before tax. Is that Karini: No, sorry, actually I want Thursday, correct? Friday, and Saturday nights. Karini: Yes. Clerk: So checking in on Thursday the Clerk: Your Visa account number is 1234 fourth, checking out on Sunday the 5678 9012. Expiration date zero- seventh. two, ten. Karini: Yes, that's it. Karini: Yes. Clerk: And how many people are there in Clerk: Reserving your room with a credit your party? card guarantees that your room will Karini: Four. Two adults and two children. be held for your arrival. It will be Clerk: Would you like a double double held until seven o'clock on the room? morning following the date of your Karini: We'd like two queen beds in one reservation. If you need to cancel, room, if that's possible. you may do so without charge Clerk: I see... a double queen room for the before six o'clock p.m., the day of 4th, 5th, and 6th. Is that correct? check-in. Your confirmation number Karini: Yes. is HT348X5327422. Clerk: It's showing... a double queen room Karini: Hang on. Can you repeat that? available for $79.90 per night. Total HT348X5327422. Right? stay $239.70, not including taxes or Clerk: Right. I can e-mail you the incidentals. reservation information. Karini: Okay. Karini: I don't have access to a computer. I Clerk: Thank you. May I have your name, wouldn't have called you if I had! please? Clerk: Right. Karini: It's unusual. It's Maryn Karini. Karini: Okay, thanks. Clerk: That's Karen... Karini: No. It rhymes with Karen, but it's Maryn. M as in "Mississippi: - A-R- Y-N. and Karini. K-A-R-I-N-I.
75 Dialog Scripts Most of our rooms have been booked for months. Unit 6: Dialog 2 Caller: Well, that's bad news. It's our anniversary, and I promised I'd take my Clerk: Good morning. Pine Ridge Hotel, Pat wife for a long getaway weekend. speaking. Clerk: Sir, I could put you on a waiting list for Caller: Uh... good morning. I'd like to make a both a king and queen with a kitchenette reservation for this week, please. for these dates. We'll call you if one Clerk: Yes, sir. What type of room are you becomes available. looking for? Caller: Uh... what is the likelihood of someone Caller: I'd like a king room with a kitchenette, canceling, do you think? please. Clerk: Not very good, I'm afraid. Clerk: And what nights would you like to Caller: Well, okay. Put our name on the waiting reserve? list. But I won't hold my breath. Do you Caller: I'd like the room for Wednesday through have any other ideas? Saturday nights, please. Clerk: You could also try the Mountain Hotel & Clerk: Will this be a four-night reservation for Suites here in town, but they may be full, one? too...Or, if you don't mind staying 20 Caller: For two, please. My wife and me. miles away, you might try the Hilltop Clerk: One moment, please... Sir, I'm very Inn in Fairfield. We've referred several sorry, but a king with a kitchenette is not guests there already. It's a very nice available for Wednesday through place. Saturday nights. Caller: Uh... I think I'd like to call the Hilltop Caller: Oh, darn... how about a queen with a Inn. Could you give me their number? kitchenette? Clerk: Yes. It's 555-3930. If you like, I'll be Clerk: A queen with a kitchenette for happy to call them for you. Wednesday through Saturday, sir? Caller: Well, that's very nice of you. Saves me a Caller: Yes, please. long-distance call. Clerk: I'm very sorry, sir, but there are no Clerk: Yes, sir. Maybe next year you can stay queens with a kitchenette available on with us. those dates. In fact, there are no Caller: Hold on a moment, and I'll call to see if kitchenettes available at all. This is the the Hilltop has any vacancies. week of our town's holiday festival. Clerk: Thanks.
76 Dialog Scripts be sure she gets it as soon as she lets the front desk know she's back. Or, if you Unit 6: Dialog 3 prefer, I can connect you with her voicemail. Clerk: Pine Ridge Hotel, front desk, Alberto Caller: How will she know she has a voicemail speaking. message? Caller: Hello. I'm trying to reach Lee Boatright, Clerk: Our system activates a light on her guest a guest at your hotel. room phone. The light is very obvious. Clerk: Yes... Ms. Boatright... I'll connect you She should see it as soon as she enters the now. room. Clerk: I'm sorry, sir, but Ms. Boatright is not Caller: It's really important. I need her advice answering her phone. Would you like to about a contract. I'm worried that I won't leave a message? get in touch with her on time. Could you Caller: Um... yes... Can I leave a message with maybe page her for me? you? Clerk: We'd rather not do that sir, except in a Clerk: You can leave a message in two ways: I family emergency. It tends to scare the can take a brief written message, or you guests. can leave a longer message on voicemail. Caller: Yes, I can see that. Then I'd like to leave a Caller: Would she get either type of message voicemail message, please. today? It's very important. Clerk: One moment, please. I'll put you through Clerk: If you leave a message with me, we'll to her voicemail. Caller: Thank you.
77 Dialog Scripts Would you like to take a taxi instead? Unit 6: Dialog 4 Caller: I might. Are taxis easy to get at the airport? Clerk: Good afternoon, Pine Ridge Hotel, Clerk: Yes, ma'am. There should be several Alberto speaking. taxis lined up right outside the Caller: Yes, I have a reservation at your baggage claim area. hotel tonight. Caller: Would the hotel cover my cab fare? Clerk: Yes, ma'am. How can I help you? Clerk: I'm sorry ma'am. Since we operate Caller: I just arrived at the airport, and I'm the shuttle, we're unable to pay for wondering how to get to your hotel. other forms of ground transport. Clerk: We have a shuttle that can pick you Caller: Hmm. How much do you think it up at the airport right outside the would cost for a taxi to the hotel? baggage-claim area. It makes Clerk: I believe it's usually about $25.00, continuous rounds until about not including tip, of course. midnight. Caller: That's a lot. I'm not sure what to do. Caller: That sounds good. How soon could it Clerk: Allow me to make a suggestion, get here? ma'am. If you have a lot of luggage, Clerk: Let's see... the next one should be your best bet is to take our shuttle. there in about... 30 minutes. Our drivers are very courteous, and Caller: That's kind of a long time! I was they are not allowed to accept tips. hoping to get there a lot sooner. I'm Caller: So another shuttle will be coming tired from a long day of travel. in...what? Twenty minutes? Clerk: I'm sorry, ma'am. The shuttle service Clerk: Yes, ma'am. Not a very long time. has a standard route that it travels. Caller: You talked me into waiting.
78 EXERCISES Exercise A Part 1. Listen to the conversation between the caller and the clerk again. Complete the sentences.
1. Ms. Karini can’t receive email because
2. Most of the hotel rooms have been booked for months because
3. The caller has promised to take his wife for a long getaway weekend because
4. The clerk suggests the Hilltop Inn in Fairfield because
5. The hotel doesn’t page the guest because
6. The hotel doesn’t cover guests’ cab fare because
7. The guest decides to take the shuttle because
8. The caller wants to reach Ms. Boatright quickly
Part 2: Write HC for the hotel clerk or C for the caller next to each sentence.
Example: “Sir, I could put you on a waiting list.” __HC__
1. “Would you like to leave a message?” ______ 2. “I'd like a king room with a kitchenette, please.” ______ 3. “Let me confirm your reservation for you.” ______ 4. “Would you like to take a taxi instead?” ______ 5. “Could you maybe page her for me?” ______ 6. “Good morning. Pine Ridge Hotel, Pat speaking.” ______ 7. “May I have your name, please?” ______ 8. “Would the hotel cover my cab fare?” ______ 9. “I'd like to book a room for three nights.” ______ 10. “Allow me to make a suggestion, ma'am.” ______
79 EXERCISES Exercise B Part 1: Complete the text with phrases from the box. a. I'd like b. May I c. I want d. Would you e. We'd like f. are there g. we’ll h. Would that i. Is that correct j. certainly, ma’am Clerk: Pine Ridge Hotel. (1) __________ help you? Caller: Yes. (2) __________ to book a room for three nights. Clerk: Yes, (3) __________. Which day will you be arriving? Caller: (4) __________ the first weekend of next month. Clerk: (5) __________ be arrival on Friday the fifth? Caller: No, sorry, actually (6) __________ be arriving on Thursday. Clerk: And how many people (7) ____________ in your party? Caller: Four. Two adults and two children. Clerk: (8) __________ like a double double room? Caller: (9) ____________ two queen beds in one room. Clerk: A double queen room for the 4th, 5th, and 6th. (10) ______________? Caller: Yes, thank you.
Part 2: Listen to the conversation between the callers and the clerk. Complete the following sentences. 1. Ms. Karini and her party will be arriving on _____________. a. Friday the fifth. b. Thursday the fourth. c. Sunday the seventh. 2. Ms. Karini’s total stay is _____________, not including taxes or incidentals. a. $270.90 b. $79.90 c. $239.70 3. The Mountain Hotel & Suites_____________. a. doesn’t have any room available. b. is 20 miles away. c. is less expensive. 4. The hotel would rather not page the guests, except _____________. a. in a family emergency. b. on Saturdays. c. when the lobby is not busy. 5. Since the guest has a lot of luggage, the clerk suggests _____________. a. she take the hotel shuttle. b. she take a cab. c. she wait for the next train.
80 EXERCISES Exercise C Part 1: This checklist is meant to help you evaluate the effort you put into studying this lesson. Circle the number of times you practiced as described in the statement. Practice description Times I practiced in this way In Class: I listened carefully to the presentation in this lesson. 0 1 2 3
I practiced summarizing or role-playing portions of this lesson. 0 1 2 3
I wrote notes to help me remember information or phrases. 0 1 2 3
On my own I thought about how this topic relates to my own experience. 0 1 2 3 I listened to each sentence several times without looking at the 0 1 2 3 text. I used the software's recording feature to practice speaking, and I 0 1 2 3 listened to myself carefully. I tried to improve my pronunciation and fluency as I spoke each 0 1 2 3 sentence. I reviewed the dialogs so that I could summarize each one with 0 1 2 3 confidence. I used some of the words from this lesson in my daily 0 1 2 3 conversations.
Part 2: When learning a language, it sometimes helps to pay attention to areas where we need extra effort. In your case, what has been difficult for you in the past two Units? Look back over these Units, and rate your English language skills: Listening Comprehension, Speaking, Grammar, Vocabulary and Expressions, and Pronunciation. Which areas need the most work? Use the Study Recommendations below to help you improve your weak areas. Rating: 1 (poor) ~ 5 Study Skill Category (excellent) Recommendations Listening Comprehension without (a) (b (c) using text support. You can catch important see Study Strategies details with confidence. below Speaking (Fluency) ~ Your oral (b) (d) (e) (f) (j) communication is not slow and halting. Grammatical Accuracy ~ Your (c) (h) (i) intended meaning is accurately understood. Clear Pronunciation (d) (e) (j) Others can understand you without difficulty. Vocabulary & Functional Appropriateness (g) (c) (h) (i) Can understand and use appropriate words and phrases.
81 Appendix A: Using the Software DynEd’s courseware has been designed for ease of use by students and teachers. Nevertheless, before students begin to study on their own, it is important to introduce the basic functions of the program and to give suggestions about how best to study. For additional information, please consult the User’s Guide.
The DynEd Control Bar
The Control Bar is always active on screen when students are using a DynEd course and allows students to use comprehension aids and study tools at any time. The Control Bar displays the following buttons: Exit, Voice Record, Voice Monitor, Back-up (Rewind), Pause/Play, Repeat, ABC (Text), and Fast Forward. They function as follows:
Click on the Exit button to exit a lesson or to return to a menu at any time.
Click on the Pause button to pause the program at any time. When the program is paused, this button becomes the Play button. To take the program off pause, click on the Play button.
Click on the Repeat button to hear a sentence repeated. Students should be encouraged to listen several times to each sentence and to speak along with the program. Since clicking on the Repeat button automatically pauses the program, students can give themselves more time to answer a question by using the Repeat button. To take the program off pause, click on the flashing Play button.
Click on the ABC button to see the written text of each sentence and to access the Glossary. Generally, students should bring up the text only when they are having difficulty understanding what is said or when they are ready to study the vocabulary or grammar of the sentence. Use of the ABC button can work against developing listening comprehension, so students should be coached on how to use it properly. Please note that in some lessons, such as the Dictations, the ABC button is disabled. Glossary: Once the text is displayed, students can click on highlighted words to get help or additional information and examples from glossary screens. In bilingual versions of the courses, these screens often provide translations as well as grammatical information and example sentences. The Glossary can also be accessed from the Options pull-down menu.
Bilingual versions of Functioning in Business include a Translation button. This helps reduce frustration and ensures comprehension, especially at the beginning level. As students study, they will find it less and less necessary to use the translation function.
The Speech Record button allows students to record their voice. Click it to start recording and again to stop the recording. Then click on the Speech Playback button to listen to the recording. Students can then compare their voices with the model by using the ABC button or the Repeat button. This feature gives students the opportunity to improve their pronunciation, intonation, and fluency, while developing their listening skills and language awareness.
The Rewind button allows students to go back in the program one frame at a time, for example to hear a previous sentence.
The Fast-Forward button allows students to move ahead in the program one frame at a time. When it is used, the text is displayed for each sentence. Please note that students may not fast-forward through an exercise or comprehension question. The program will pause until the question is answered.
82 Pull Down Menus The DynEd pull-down menus are at the top of your screen: Options, Speech Recognition, and Help. The Options pull-down menu allows you to see the Student Records, to access the Glossary, to change Level settings (volume, and pause length) and to Show Text. The Speech pull-down menu gives instructions for using Speech Recognition. The Help pull-down menus provide access to Documentation (Study Guides and User’s Guide) and Help Screens, which provide instructions for how to do each lesson.
Student Records The Student Records indicate the total amount of time a student has spent in each lesson, the Completion Percentage (Completion Percentage), scores, and shuffler levels (Shuffler Level) for each study session. The Student Records are stored either on the hard disk or on the network. When students use the program, they should remember to log in so that their records are kept. Teachers can access the Student Records through the Records Manager.
Glossary The Glossary provides an alphabetical list of the glossary screens available for each course. The Glossary can be accessed through the Pull-Down menu or through the highlighted text whenever it occurs in a lesson.
Levels This allows the user to set or view the levels of the following controls:
Volume: The Volume settings enable the user to control the volume of the audio, as well as for sound recorded using the Voice Record feature.
Pause Length: The language of the courseware is natural language spoken at a normal pace. Students can, however, adjust the amount of time between each sentence. A longer pause gives students more time to process the sounds they have just heard and to access comprehension aids (repeat, translation, text on) if necessary. A shorter pause more closely approximates natural speech and provides more of a listening challenge.
Speech Recognition Help screens for Speech Recognition are available through the Speech Recognition pull-down menu at the top of the screen. Detailed instructions are also available in the Study Guides.
Help Screens The Help screens can be accessed through the Help pull-down menu at the top of the screen. For bilingual versions, the Help screens are available with native language support.
83 Appendix B: Verb Markers The verb markers referred to in the course glossaries and study guides are the following:
1. V(d) lived, ate, came, was, had, went
2. modal will, shall, may, can, must, had better, should, ought
3. have+V(n) has lived, has eaten, has been
4. be+V(ing) is living, is eating, is going
5. be+V(n) is eaten, is sold, is converted
Each marker has a specific meaning or a range of meanings that are determined by the other words around it and by the context. For example, V(d) indicates past or unreal (It rained yesterday; He wishes he had a new car.); be+V(ing) indicates an ongoing process in time (She is living in London this year.); and be+V(n) indicates the passive voice (It is converted into electricity.). The following chart gives examples of the notations which are used throughout the course and in the Glossary:
V V(d) V(ing) V(n)
be was/were being been
work worked working worked
speak spoke speaking spoken
eat ate eating eaten
Verb markers can be used individually, or they can be used together to make new verb forms. For example, if we apply marker 1, V(d), to the verb eat, we get: He ate dinner. If we apply marker 4, be+V(ing), we get: He is eating dinner. If we use markers 1 and 4, V(d) + be+V(ing), we get: He was eating dinner. If no marker at all is used, we have the simple present tense: He eats dinner at 6:00.
When markers are used together, the marker with the lower number comes before the marker with the higher number. For example, if marker 3: have+V(n) and marker 5: be+V(n) are used together with the verb sell, marker 3: have+V(n) comes before marker 5: be+V(n).
3+5 have+V(n)-->be+V(n) has been sold (correct)
5+3 be+V(n)-->have+V(n) be had sold (incorrect)
It is also incorrect to use a marker more than once in the same predicate. For example:
1+2+3 V(d)-->modal-->have+V(n) would have made (correct)
1+2+1+3 V(d)-->modal-->V(d)-->have+V(n) would had made (incorrect)
84 Many of the most important verb structures in English can be understood with these markers. Some examples using combinations of verb markers are:
1+2 V(d)-->modal could go, might come, would sell
1+3 V(d)-->have+V(n) had gone, had come, had sold
1+4 V(d)-->be+V(ing) was going, was coming, were selling
1+5 V(d)-->be+V(n) was made, was eaten, were sold
3+4 have+V(n)-->be+V(ing) have been living, has been selling
3+5 have+V(n)-->be+V(n) have been eaten, have been sold
2+3+5 modal-->have+V(n)-->be+V(n) must have been given, may have been sold
1+2+3+5 V(d)-->modal+have+V(n)-->be+V(n) might have been given
1+3+4 V(d)-->have+V(n)-->be+V(ing) had been waiting
1+3+5 V(d)-->have+V(n)-->be+V(n) had been given
1+4+5 V(d)-->be+V(ing)-->be+V(n) was being given
3+4+5 have+V(n)-->be+V(ing)-->be+V(n) has been being watched
85 Daily Checklist for Effective Practice Every lesson should be studied in several ways: (1) Preview (2) Comprehension (3) Focused Practice & Speaking (4) Review and (5) Intermittent Review. The following checklist will help guide students to study more effectively.
1. I focused on four or more lessons or parts of lessons during this study session, including a Dialog and an Exercise. 2. I did not use Text support except to confirm that I had understood each word. 3. I focused on 10 or more sentences, recorded and played them back, and compared them to the native speaker models. I tried to improve my pronunciation. 4. I completed one or more speech dictation and checked my Completion Percentages. 5. I reviewed lessons from a previous Unit and practiced saying and recording key sentences with confidence and fluency. 6. My goal for completing each Unit is to be able to understand and express the information with confidence and without text support.
Sample Study Path for Hospitality English
Scenario 1: Placement test level 0~1.5
Consult DynEd’s Placement Test chart. Students should start with NDE and TLS to get ready for HE.
Scenario 2: a receptionist with a Placement test level of 1.5
3 to 5 sessions per week at 45 minutes each
Weeks 1~5: Study NDE Mod 4
Review NDE MOD1~3 Study HE units 3 (Cashier and Check-out), or 2 and 4
Weeks 6~10: Study NDE Mod 4
Review NDE MOD1~3 Preview NDE Mod 5 Review HE units 2, 3, and 4
Weeks 11~15: Study NDE Mod 5
Review NDE MOD1~4 Review HE units 2, 3, and 4 Study HE Unit 1 (Reception) Study DBE 1 and 2 Study FIB 1 and 2
86 Weeks 16~20: Study NDE Mod 5 Review NDE MOD1~4 Review HE units 1, 2, 3, and 4 Study HE Unit 5 (Guest Relations & Sales) Study DBE 3 and 4 Study FIB 3 and 4
