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International interactions in the light of linguistic affinity
Views:160Although international trade economists often highlight the improtance of common currency, FDI flows or other factors in bilateral trade relations, quite few papers focus on the role of languages or linguistic similarities in this respect. The uniqeness and difficulty of this topic lie in its complexity. Analyses generally lean solely on official languages losing useful peaces of information hidden in the fact that a great number of people use other languages in their everyday life. In the absence of common mother tongue bilateral economic interactions can be intensified by foreign languages acquired by a great share of people in both countries. We emphasize that english seems to be the only universal mediator among trading countries in the world. A further aim of this paper using the results of Eurobarometer surveys is to point to the role of linguistic affinity in international economic interactions based on the case of Estonia, Finland and Hungary.
Journal of Economic Literature (JEL) codes: F10; Z10
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Discussion forum (course) – a practical approach to communicative competence development
142-147Views:81The paper describes and discusses the observations and findings of three years of teaching a unique English language course – “Discussion Forum” within the study programme Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication at the Faculty of Applied Languages, at the University of Economics in Bratislava. It presents the original format as it was introduced in 2010 when the study programme was accredited and its development and alterations based on the collected experience and evidence of both students and teacher. Three debate formats, speech duel, round table and team debate, are described and their shortcomings and merits are evaluated. Finally, the findings and conclusions arrived at since the first implementation, are discussed.
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Tourism Competencies Development – Contradictious Perceptions of Stakeholders
126-141Views:98Tourism and hospitality sector has an important role in the national economy as it has high labour intensity, generates foreign currency income and improves the local economy by multiplier effect. Tourism labour market employs a wide range of employees from non-qualified to highqualified people. Tourism tertiary educators in Hungary continue their operation by national-level legislation, and accreditation and students who complete tourism courses (should) be capable of professional occupation. The post-Bologna system offered more opportunities in tourism and hospitality education; two distinguished courses were available on the educational market to educate hospitality or tourism experts. After 2006, by launching Bologna system, institutions are allowed to commence just one, Tourism and Catering bachelor programme. A questionnairebased survey was conducted among graduating bachelor students with tourism and catering major, tutors teaching tourism and catering students and actors of tourism market, who going to be the employers of tourism graduates. The main aim of the research was to explore the personal or organizational expectations of stakeholders for professional competence development as a result of tourism and catering bachelor-level education. The bust majority of students stated that their primary aim is to gain professional competencies in tourism and hospitality to be able to fulfil managerial positions or to continue their studies on master-level. Although generic competences as communication skills in foreign languages, social sensitivity, problem solving or creativity have salient influence on job performance, students did not believe that they would be
essential. However, these factors were thought to be the most crucial by tutors and tourism service providers despite the fact that generic skill development is not in focus in tourism and catering bachelor-level education in Hungary. Not just the educational institutions but tourism companies providing work placement for students were considered to be an appropriate basis for competencies development that raised the question of monitoring and assessment. The findings can be profitable for all stakeholder group or policy decision makers in bachelor-level curriculum development. -
Incorporating Blended Learning in Teaching English for Specific Purposes
158-163Views:116As a result of the prevalent use of the Internet, teaching foreign languages can get a new perspective. This paper presents how teachers can incorporate the Internet in teaching English for specific purposes. First, a brief historical background of language learning methods is given, and then the focus shifts to a new
language learning project applying blended learning at the University of Debrecen. The paper also shows how traditional classroom activities can be combined with online methods to make language learning more enjoyable. -
The improvement of speaking skills at pilot courses at the College of Szolnok in the light of the findings of our labour market survey
68-75Views:85The research conducted by the College of Szolnok in 2013 on the language requirements of the labour market revealed that what employers mostly find lacking in careerstarters is the confident and proficient use of foreign languages. On the basis of the research findings the subjects taught at the College have been developed in a practiceoriented direction. In our lecture we elaborate on the possibilities of improving the communicative competence at our pilot courses. We give a survey of the phases of the improvement of speaking skills, the most important condition of the communication process. We present the task types characterising the various phases of the development process, the strategies of teaching vocabulary using some German examples taken from some textbook series (Alltag, Beruf & Co.) used at the pilot courses.
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Foreign language competencies and the job market: Employers' expectations and the (self-)assessment of language teaching and learning by students of the College of Szolnok
51-60Views:126Two of the most important objectives of the project "Improving foreign language training programmes at the College of Szolnok" are increasing the chances of newly graduated students on the job market through improved language teaching methods and achieving a better fulfilment of human resources needs of the multicultural job market brought about by national and international companies operating in the region. This study contrasts the results of research
carried out among employers with regards to their foreign language expectations for graduates with surveys done among students of the College of Szolnok. In these surveys students evaluated their own foreign language knowledge as well as the standard of language teaching at the college and gave an insight into their experiences as far as language learning and their use of foreign languages are concerned. -
Methodological paradigm shift in teaching foreign languages at college
46-50Views:94It is not easy to bridge the gap between the labour market expectations and our students’ foreign language competence. It is a real challenge for the language teacher, and at the same time, it is a permanent motivation for innovation and perfection. I wish to present how blended learning in its broad sense has been used at English language teaching at the college. I do believe that both language learning and life-long language practice can be made more effective and more
enjoyable by changing methodological concepts, exploiting ICT, applying tasks that enhance communicative competence. -
The interconnection of gender and communication: communication in the workplace The differences, in other words who is better?
7-12Views:192The paper explores the differences between the way women and men communicate. The author states that the communication skills of the two genders are different: women are better than men at performing various verbal tasks. The article reveals the possible causes of this difference in skills. Gender can define the communication style. We can also observe a difference in speech. There is an ever increasing demand for workers with excellent communication skills in the world of work. Such workplaces prefer to employ women rather than men. The better skills of women manifest themselves not only in mother tongue skills, but also in the acquisition of foreign languages. The author advises boys to communicate more emphatically and girls to be more assertive.