Abstract:

Partly because coastal tourism tends to be seasonal, many workers are low-skilled and much less likely to speak a foreign language than the better-educated permanent employees. Some seasonal employees are migrants and may not even speak the local language. Yet it is precisely the seasonal and lower-skilled employees who are most likely to have direct contacts with foreign visitors, in kiosks, information booths, ticket offices, petrol stations, repair bays, shops, ships’ stores and so on – that is, in the reception of tourists. This is important because foreign visitors constitute a significant proportion of coastal tourists, but although workers may – or may not – speak some English other languages are needed too. There is, therefore, a need for foreign language learning by low-skilled workers in marinas, yachting harbours and cruise ports.
There are two major obstacles to fulfilling this need and little is available for low-skilled workers and they themselves are often unwilling to spend valuable leisure time on learning another language. This is unfortunate as the ability to speak a foreign language not only increases technical skills but also social competence and is therefore a valuable measure in developing the skills of adults in the labour market.
One solution is to combine language learning with skills training, but such initiatives are rare. The general neglect of low-skilled workers, despite European and national priorities, also means that there is a shortage of learning materials in a wide range of occupations, and few if any for foreign language teaching combined with skills training. There is, however, a well-developed methodology for such an approach, known as Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). This methodology not only combines language with vocational learning but also quickly engenders confidence in the ability to learn, a confidence often lacking in low-skilled workers.
Although there are language courses available to marina workers in Alicante, the area where the research will take place, the CLIL approach is rarely if ever used. Courses are general and are unable to take into account the specialised vocabulary needed for vocational occupations. Nor are they necessarily available in the languages needed. In order to discover the target languages most needed by marine tourism operators, as well as other variables, such as the situations for language learning, the most useful elements of a curriculum and the desired modes of learning, a needs assessment survey was conducted in Alicante under the framework of the European project “MARINA – Meeting the language and skills needs of coastal and river tourism workers” (2009-1-NO1-LEO05-01015) co-financed by the European Commission. This paper aims to describe the main results.

Keywords:

Marine workers, CLIL methodology, language learning needs, Alicante.