Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to understand and use a language other than English for very simple, commonly used expressions of a basic and predictable nature in tourism and hospitality workplaces. It covers activities such as welcoming and farewelling guests, providing face-to-face routine customer service and other routine workplace activities. This unit can be used for training delivery and assessment of basic oral proficiency in any language other than English. There is no direct parity with any formal language proficiency ratings or assessment framework, but this unit broadly relates to International Second Language Proficiency Ratings (ISLPR) 1.

This unit is the first in a hierarchical set of four units dealing with oral communication and cultural skills in a language other than English, ranging from entry to fluency and increasing in complexity with the level of linguistic and cultural ability. These units do not align with Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) levels and do not include interpreting or translating, which are higher-level specialist skills.

SITXLAN101A

(Arabic)

SITXLAN102A

(Indonesian)

SITXLAN103A

(Cantonese)

SITXLAN104A

(Dutch)

SITXLAN105A

(Finnish)

SITXLAN106A

(French)

SITXLAN107A

(German)

SITXLAN108A

(Greek)

SITXLAN109A

(Hindi)

SITXLAN110A

(Hungarian)

SITXLAN111A

(Italian)

SITXLAN112A

(Japanese)

SITXLAN113A

(Korean)

SITXLAN114A

(Malay)

SITXLAN115A

(Mandarin)

SITXLAN116A

(Polish)

SITXLAN117A

(Portuguese)

SITXLAN118A

(Russian)

SITXLAN119A

(Serbian)

SITXLAN120A

(Spanish)

SITXLAN121A

(Swedish)

SITXLAN122A

(Swiss German)

SITXLAN123A

(Taiwanese)

SITXLAN124A

(Thai)

SITXLAN125A

(Turkish)

SITXLAN126A

(Croatian)

SITXLAN127A

(Bosnian)

SITXLAN128A

(Australian Indigenous languages)

SITXLAN129A

(AUSLAN)

Prerequisite units 

Nil

Employability skills 

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit is packaged will assist in identifying employability skills requirements.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised  text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge and/or the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1

Be courteous to customers and colleagues.

1.1

Identify the specific language needed in order to conduct basic communications.

1.2

Use appropriate, very simple, commonly -used courtesy expressions  with customers or colleagues including greeting and welcoming, farewelling, apologising and thanking.

1.3

Recognise and observe any social and cultural conventions of the specific language speaker to support communication.

1.4

Make efforts to communicate through use of gestures or use of basic vocabulary in the other person's language where language barriers exist.

1.5

Identify and use appropriate resources  and seek assistance from those with suitable language skills.

2

Communicate with customers and colleagues in a language other than English to support routine workplace activities.

2.1

Understand and use key words, short phrases and gestures to enhance communication .

2.2

Use any visual techniques  to enhance or replace oral communication.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

The following skills must be assessed as part of this unit:

• communication and interpersonal skills to allow for positive and courteous interaction with customers
• cross-cultural language skills to use key words, phrases, short expressions and numbers routinely required to fulfil common customer needs relevant for the particular workplace and to the language being assessed.

The following knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit:

• general knowledge of the culture and the social and cultural conventions relevant to the language being assessed, including traditions, attire, eating habits, table manners, body language and taboo topics
• general awareness of cross-cultural communication issues sufficient to avoid giving offence to customers and colleagues.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

There are three critical considerations for the assessment of this unit.

• This unit can be used to assess basic oral proficiency in anylanguage other than English. Assessment must be customised to the requirements of a particular language.
• Assessment should not only focus on the language being assessed but must also incorporate the practical customer service requirements of the tourism or hospitality industry, i.e. the assessment of language must be conducted while the candidate is carrying out typical tourism or hospitality vocational activities.
• This unit can apply to any tourism and hospitality sector, workplace and circumstance. Assessment activities must ensure that the use of a specific language is contextualised and linked to vocational activities which are relevant to the particular tourism or hospitality sector and workplace. For example, if assessment is linked to restaurant service, language usage should relate to a restaurant.

Evidence of the following is essential:

• ability to use appropriate courtesy expressions, key words, phrases, short expressions and numbers in a language other than English in order to fulfil common customer needs
• ability to gesture in a socially and culturally appropriate manner.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• operational conditions of a tourism or hospitality customer service environment
• that the person being assessed is undertaking typical tourism or hospitality workplace activities, such as serving food, greeting guests, assisting guests with baggage, completing registration details, checking in while using the language being assessed
• provision of services to customers within typical workplace time constraints
• use of relevant and current tourism and hospitality materials and equipment, such as timetables, brochures, menus, tour desks, check-in desks, porter desks and restaurant equipment
• use of basic resources commonly used to assist workplace communication, including:
• phrase books
• dictionaries
• language mats
• pamphlets written in the specific language
• menus written in the specific language
• signs written in the specific language
• international signage, such as 'No Smoking' signs.

Methods of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• oral testing of conversational language use (note: this should not be the sole method of assessment)
• direct observation of the candidate communicating in a language other than English in a customer service environment while undertaking typical workplace activities
• review of visual aids prepared by the candidate to assist verbal communication
• written and oral questioning or interview to test knowledge of the culture, social and cultural conventions and cross-cultural communication requirements associated with the language
• review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

• SITHACS001B Provide accommodation reception services
• SITHFAB002C Operate a bar
• SITHFAB004A Provide food and beverage service
• SITXCCS001B Provide visitor information.

Assessing employability skills 

Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts.

Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role.

The relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below.

Commonly -used courtesy expressions  (formulaic language) may include:

• Good Morning
• How are you?
• Goodbye
• May I help you?
• This way please
• Have you had lunch?
• Did you have a good trip?
• May I clean your room now?
• Do you need another towel?
• Sorry, I don't understand. Do you speak English?

Appropriate resources  may include:

• language mats
• phrase books
• dictionaries
• pamphlets written in the specific language
• menus written in the specific language
• signs written in the specific language
• international signage, such as 'No Smoking' signs
• websites with translating facilities.

Communication  must include:

• listening to requests and comments
• providing factual information, such as:
• location of specific facilities
• opening hours
• procedures, e.g. check-in and tour pick-up
• currency
• prices
• room and floor numbers
• safety rules
• conducting simple product and service transactions, such as:
• purchase of souvenir products
• payment of a restaurant bill
• payment for a tourism service, e.g. day tour, accommodation and ticket
• references to timetable, signage and basic rules, e.g. opening hours
• selection of food and beverages from a menu
• advising check-in and check-out procedures and times
• advising opening and closing times
• answering very simple queries about products and services, including:
• in-house facilities
• local attractions and places of interest
• shopping centres
• tour desk
• pick-up and drop-off point for tours
• transport terminals, and taxi and other transport services
• providing general assistance within the scope of responsibility
• providing very simple directions.

Visual techniques  may include:

• marking of a map
• drawing attention to pamphlets and timetables
• locating specific costs and items on menus
• signs, gesturing and appropriate body language.

Sector 

Cross-Sector

Competency field 

Languages other than English