Happy Easter, Limerick & CETT Students!!!

The Virtual Language Exchange Limerick-CETT has ended, but new friendships have emerged.

Happy Easter, everybody!!!

English Level 2 Project - Stage 4

Once you have described the product/service's features, examined customers' views, and analysed the main strengths and weaknesses (as well as the opportunities and threats, optionally), you must make specific improvement proposals based on your findings, to conclude. It is not necessary to tackle absolutely all the problems that derive from the analysis, but the most relevant ones should certainly be addressed.

Present your improvement plan in a structured way, reporting on the methodology you have followed, cross-referring to data from previous stages, and referencing your information sources. Your suggestions may draw on multiple perspectives, e.g. sustainable development goals and environmentally friendly policies, quality standards, experience design, human resources and corporate social responsibility, revenue management, etc. 

These are some resources that may inspire you.

-5 ways to lead in an era of constant change:

https://www.ted.com/talks/jim_hemerling_5_ways_to_lead_in_an_era_of_constant_change?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

-Two reasons companies fail - and how to avoid them:

https://www.ted.com/talks/knut_haanaes_two_reasons_companies_fail_and_how_to_avoid_them?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

-Interactive risk assessment tool:

https://www.innotour.com/innovation-tools/interactive-risk-assessment-tool/

-Innovation checklists:

https://www.innotour.com/innovation-tools/innovation-checklists/

-Innovation ability test:

https://www.innotour.com/innovation-tools/innovation-ability-test/

Gender equality in the tourism sector

Watch these videos. They illustrate different roles of women within the tourism industry:

-Las Kellys: https://youtu.be/MBBDSPT879Q

-Celebrity Cruises: https://youtu.be/vux_5Hyb_wQ

Reflect on the following questions:

1. How can tourism contribute to gender equality?

2. What are the most pressing issues that affect women in the tourism industry?

3. Are education and training equally provided for tourism managers and employees?

4. Are women represented in tourism policies and in this sector's decision-making spaces?

For more information, you can also read UNWTO's Global Report on Women in Tourism: 

https://www.e-unwto.org/doi/pdf/10.18111/9789284420384

Activity SWOT analysis

Step 1. The Manager of Sunshine Hotels has conducted a SWOT analysis of this hotel chain, but the different aspects have been jumbled accidentally. Classify each aspect into four categories: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

Aspects:

1. Prime locations
2. High operating costs
3. Expansion into emerging markets
4. Excellent customer service
5. Economic downturns
6. Limited online presence
7. Sustainability initiatives
8. Diverse amenities
9. Seasonal dependency
10. Intense competition
11. Partnerships with travel agencies
12. Changing travel regulations

Step 2. Match each one of the aspects above with its corresponding explanation below. Discuss and justify your choices.

Explanations:

1. The cost of maintaining high standards and diverse amenities is significant, impacting profit margins.
2. Revenue is highly dependent on peak tourist seasons, which can lead to fluctuations in income.
3. New travel restrictions or regulations can affect international tourist arrivals.
4. The hotel chain is known for its exceptional customer service, which leads to high customer satisfaction and repeat business.
5. Economic instability can reduce travel spending, impacting occupancy rates.
6. Sunshine Hotels are located in popular tourist destinations, attracting a high number of visitors.
7. The hotel chain has a weak online marketing strategy, leading to lower visibility compared to competitors.
8. Offers a wide range of amenities, including spas, gyms, and conference facilities, catering to both leisure and business travelers.
9. Forming alliances with travel agencies can increase bookings and brand visibility.
10. There is potential for growth by expanding into emerging tourist destinations.
11. The hotel chain has implemented eco-friendly practices, which can attract environmentally conscious travelers and reduce operating costs.
12. The hotel industry is highly competitive, with new entrants and existing competitors constantly vying for market share.

Step 3. Reflect on what you learned from the activity and discuss how conducting a SWOT analysis can be beneficial in your future career in tourism and hospitality.

Source: Microsoft. (2025). Copilot [Large language model]. 

English Level 2 Project - Stage 3

SWOT is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, and it is an essential component of your project. The following links will help you to find out more about how to do it:

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_05.htm

http://esl-educate-school-learn.blogspot.com/2012/02/swot-analysis.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_6AVRGLXGA

The data you collected in the second stage will help to design this part of the project. The analysis can derive from customer reviews, opinions, or information from press articles, which will allow you to identify both internal aspects (strengths and weaknesses) and external aspects (opportunities and threats). Remember to mention your information sources.

It is mandatory to present an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses, while the opportunities and threats can be analysed optionally as well if you wish to aim at a higher qualification.

As in the previous stages, you can post the text on this blog.

You can provide your classmates with peer feedback by filling in this form: 

https://forms.gle/6ZtCRLZmyUGUjFDf6

Staff selection activity

A luxury hotel in Barcelona is selecting a new General Manager. The choice is between two candidates:

Candidate A

o  Hotel Management Experience: 

-Worked as a hotel manager at a four-star boutique hotel with 10 rooms for the past seven years.

-Successfully managed a team of 12 staff members, ensuring high guest satisfaction and operational efficiency.

-Implemented effective customer service strategies and handled high-profile events.

 o  Education: 

-Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management.

o  Additional Skills:

-Strong leadership and conflict resolution abilities.

-Solid knowledge of hospitality operations and guest relations.

 Candidate B

o  Digital Marketing Skills:

-Worked as a digital marketing manager at Marriott International for two years.

-Created successful online campaigns, increasing the company’s bookings and online presence.

-Holds certifications in social media marketing and digital advertising.

 o  Education:

-Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

-Master’s degree in Digital Marketing.

 o  Leadership Experience:

-Led a team of digital marketers, coordinating campaigns and analyzing performance metrics.

o  Additional Skills: 

-Creativity and adaptability in digital environments.

-Proficiency in data analysis tools and digital trends.

1. The class is divided into two groups. One group will support Candidate A, and the other will support Candidate B. Within each group, decide which student will perform the following roles:

o  Lead Debater: Presents the main arguments.

o  Researcher: Uses AI tools to find supporting data and examples.

o  Rebuttal Specialist: Prepares counter-arguments against the opposing team.

2. Review the profiles of Candidate A and Candidate B thoroughly. Each group should identify the key points that support their candidate. Consider aspects such as:

o  Experience vs. potential: The value of experience in hotel management versus the potential of digital marketing skills.

o  Long-term success: Which skills are more likely to contribute to the hotel’s long-term success.

o  Adaptability: The ability of each candidate to adapt to changing trends in the tourism and hospitality industries.

3. Use generative AI to:

o  Generate potential scenarios and outcomes for each candidate.

o  Find case studies or examples of similar situations in real hotels or resorts.

o  Create visual aids or presentations to support arguments.

4. Debate execution: Each team presents their opening statements, outlining the main reasons their candidate should be selected. Take turns presenting your arguments and counter-arguments.

5. Reflection: Discuss what you have learned and how you can improve your own performance and the effectiveness of your arguments. Consider aspects such as:

o  Clarity and coherence: How clearly and logically the arguments have been presented.

o  Use of evidence: The effectiveness of using AI-generated data and real-world examples to support arguments.

o  Team collaboration: How well the team members have worked together and supported each other.

o  Persuasiveness: The ability to convincingly argue why your candidate is the better choice.

Source: OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com

Adapted from: Donaire, J. A., Puntí Brun, M., Zerva, K., Camprubí Subirana, R., & Galí Espelt, N. (2025). De la tiza al chip: el uso de la inteligencia artificial en las aulas. Universitat de Girona.

English Level 2 Project - Stage 2

Once you've chosen your product/service, you must find 80-100 customer reviews from one or several sources -preferably the more recent, the better. It is very important to discard irrelevant comments.

Next, you ought to represent the customer reviews through at least two graphs, one of which must necessarily be a line graph or a bar chart. The reasons underlying those opinions must be analysed statistically. You'll refer to these data in subsequent stages of your project and need to mention your information sources.

You should share your statistical analysis on this blog. Don't forget to use the specific vocabulary for describing graphs and charts you learned at the beginning of the academic period! You can also check this website: 

https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/advanced-c1-writing/describing-graph-trends-over-time

Your elevator pitch

Follow these guidelines to work on your elevator pitches.

1. Use the following links to learn how to create and deliver an elevator pitch:

Tips: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/elevator-speech-examples-and-writing-tips-2061976

Tips & example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb0Yz_5ZYzI

2. Record and share your own elevator pitch.

3. Watch the videos recorded by your classmates and make constructive comments. You can follow these guidelines:

-Comment on your classmate´s communicative skills.

Is the message clear enough?

Is the content adequate? Why/why not?

Is fluency ok? Why/why not?

What is the speaker's attitude? And what about his/her body language?

-Comment on your classmate´s language skills.

Is the language limited or rather varied?

Identify and comment on at least 3-4 grammar / vocabulary / pronunciation inaccuracies.

-Make a general comment on a strong point and a suggestion for improvement.

What is the communication aspect you like the best?

What improvement suggestions would you make to enhance communication?

4. Considering the feedback provided by your classmates on your own videos, you can produce an enhanced version of your elevator pitch if you wish. 

Job hunting

Read the following tips for job application.

1. Each CV should be adapted to the personality and style of the candidate, and always in line with the sector/post to which it is addressed. It is recommended that it is only one page long and that you include an introductory paragraph (see examples and templates at https://www.canva.com/). Following a chronological order isn’t a must and you can highlight the most relevant information in bold.

2. It is advisable for the CV to include a user name, link or icon of the professional social networks in which the candidate is. In this sense, both the content of the CV and the information included in these social networks (e.g. Linkedin, Hosco or Instagram) should be detailed, relevant and carefully elaborated.

3. The covering e-mail with which you will contact the company or accompany your CV must be accurate. It’s advisable to use a Gmail address with your name and surname.

4. You must attach your CV in pdf, which you should also revise in-depth, and provide clear contact details without being too personal (e.g. avoid your date of birth, address, age or marital status). In Spain it’s customary to include a picture of yourself, but not when applying abroad. You can also produce a video CV (see tips at https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-creating-a-video-resume-2064219).

5. Moreover, you can practice for job interviews by means of recorded video interviews (available at https://www.hirevue.com/, for example). You can record yourself answering questions.

6. Bearing the interview in mind, you can also work on your elevator pitch, which allows you to introduce yourself and summarise for up to 1.5 minutes some key aspects, such as who I am? what do I look for? and why am I applying? (see tips at https://www.thebalancecareers.com/elevator-speech-examples-and-writing-tips-2061976).

7. Most formal interviews nowadays take place in a relaxed atmosphere. Some interviews include unexpected code-switching in English to check oral skills. During the interview, you shouldn’t be vague and rather provide specific examples. Some questions you might have to reply to are what do you expect to find here? or why should we choose you instead of another candidate? You can also ask questions. To practice some interview questions, spin the wheel: https://spinthewheel.app/0QJPxkTGYA

8. You should have a register of your applications. Be coherent and apply sensibly, for the right post/company. It’s important to search for information about the company well in advance and be aware of the pros and cons.

Good luck with your job hunt!

English Level 2 Project - Stage 1

This project involves creating an improvement plan based on a study of an existing tourist product or service that is accessible for you to investigate firsthand, such as a hotel, a theme park, or a holiday package. You are required to analyse the product or service, identify its genuine shortcomings, and use these as a foundation to design your improvement plan. Students undertaking continuous assessment must complete this in pairs, whereas single-assessment students must work individually. 

 

The presentation should last 12 minutes if delivered by two students, and 10 minutes for individual presentations. This will be followed by a question session with the panel of examiners, bringing the total time to 15 minutes. Visual aids are mandatory and may include PowerPoint, Prezi, etc. 

 

Considering the nature of this project, you should select a product or service that is not particularly successful, as this will make designing an improvement plan both easier and more realistic. You may refer to https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ or similar websites to choose a product or service that, based on user opinions, demonstrates a need for enhancement. Take into account that you'll need to gather 80-100 customer reviews. Alternatively, you can select a product or service based on your personal experience, such as a hotel where you have worked or stayed. However, you are not permitted to opt for Port Aventura, Hotel W, Ryanair, Horta Maze, Carmel Bunkers, Parc Güell, or Tibidabo amusement park. Improvement plans for transport infrastructures are also inadvisable due to their complexity. Each project should focus on a different product or service.

 

Post your product or service description on this blog, citing all the sources of information you employed. 

2024-25 Virtual Language Exchange Limerick-CETT

1. Guidelines:

As part of the spring semester 2024-2025 you can participate in a virtual exchange with business students from the University of Limerick (Ireland). The aims are the development of disciplinary, language, and cross-cultural skills.

To be paired up with a student from the University of Limerick, you will need to sign up by filling in your name and email address in this pairing document:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/15fcgqmlK4vNrN7usjkKd4UjS0ybkBZivBcJ_Mrmrkko/edit?usp=sharing.

You must contact your international partner to arrange the first online meeting. You can invite each other via Teams or through any other channel which is convenient for both of you.

In the first half of this virtual exchange, you will be asked to do a writing task in English related to job applications and you will have to send it to your international partner for peer review. At the same time, you will receive a similar document in Spanish which you will have to read and correct, providing brief written feedback at the end.

In the second half of the exchange, you’ll be able to practice your interactive oral skills by talking with your partner about some suggested topics or any others of your choice.

2. Deadlines:

3-6 February Limerick students sign up in the pairing document

10-13 February CETT students sign up in the pairing document

13 February- 27 March CETT students contact their Limerick partners and the exchange starts

27 March The exchange finishes

3 April Portfolio tasks are submitted and evaluation questionnaires are filled in

 3. The writing task:

The writing task will help you to prepare for a job interview. Imagine you are called for an interview for an internship at an Irish company, for instance, one of the companies that you talked about with your Irish peer on your first meeting. Read the list of questions that you could be asked during this interview and answer them in English. The language should be formal, but also natural. Grammar has to be correct, and the use of tenses should be varied. There is no minimum or word limit. As your answers will be read and corrected by your international partner, an average of 4 to 5 lines on each question should be ok.

It would be impossible to prepare word-for-word answers to the typical questions an interviewer might ask. However, you should think about what the employer is likely to ask and why. This is the list of 10 typical questions that you need to reply to:

§ 1. Why did you choose to study your current course?

§ 2. What are you good at and what are you not so good at?

§ 3. What motivates you?

§ 4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

§ 5. Describe a time when you worked with others in a team.

§ 6. Why do you want to work for us?

§ 7. Why do you think you are suitable for the position?

§ 8. What can you bring to the firm?

§ 9. What do you expect from your placement with us?

§10. You will work in another country if you are offered a placement with our company. How do you think you would cope with this?

You will need to arrange a minimum of 4 online meetings with your international partners between February and March to discuss feedback and changes to the document. Please, be aware that the document should be sent well in advance of your meetings, allowing your partner enough time for corrections.

You need to find a time and a day that suits you both and meet on Teams once a week for at least 40 minutes. You ought to video record at least one meeting, download your recordings, and store them in Google Drive so that you can share them with your teachers.

4. Meetings should take place as follows:

-Week 1: 20 minutes in Spanish and 20 minutes in English. Introduce yourself (background, interests/hobbies, university studies and anything you would like to share with your peer) Talk about job possibilities in your country/area etc. In this session, it is important that you ask your partner about the possibility of working in his or her region or country. Ask him/her if there are any companies where it would be good to work. You will need this information to be able to do your writing task since you must send your partner your task (i.e. your answers to all the interview questions) 4 days before your second online meeting.

You can ask your international partner the following questions:

§ How is the job situation in Ireland?

§ What kind of industry is there?

§ Are there good tourism and hospitality companies where I could send my CV?

§ I am looking for internships, do you know of any company that offers this kind of internship?

Important: Before meeting for the first time, prepare similar information about companies in Barcelona or in Spain with job opportunities for Irish business students.

-Week 2: 20 minutes in English and 20 minutes in Spanish. Talk about each other’s writing tasks providing and receiving feedback.

-Week 3: 20 minutes in Spanish and 20 minutes in English. Explain to each other how you used your feedback. You can also talk about cultural differences between Ireland and Spain or about any other topic both of you are interested in.

-Week 4: 20 minutes in English and 20 minutes in Spanish. You can talk about the suggested topics or any other topics you prefer. Time to say goodbye.

5. Suggested conversation topics for Weeks 3 and 4:

-Families and traditions

§ What is your family like? How many people are there in your family? Do you have siblings? Are they older or younger than you? Do you have grandparents? Where do they live?

§ Do you get along well with your family? Who do you get along with best? And who do you get along with worst? Why?

§ How often does your family get together? When do you all get together? What do you like to do?

§ Does your family have any important traditions? Which ones? Do you think it is important to maintain family traditions?

§ What are some typical traditions or festivals in your city? Is there any typical music or dance?

§ Are there any traditions from your country that you don't like? Which ones? Why?

§ Are you interested in learning about the cultures of other countries? What cultures do you find interesting or different? Why?

-Food

§ What kind of food do you like? Is there anything you don't like to eat?

§ Do you like cooking? What dishes do you like? What dishes are typical in your city?

§ Do you like to eat out or do you prefer to eat at home? Which restaurants do you like?

§ Do you prefer coffee or tea? Why? How often do you go out for a drink with your friends? Which are your favourite places?

§ Do you care about what you eat? Do you think eating habits are changing? For example, do you and your acquaintances consume organic food or avoid eating meat nowadays?

-Trips and holidays

§ What has been your best holiday? What would your ideal holiday be like?

§ What do you like or dislike about travelling? Why?

§ What kind of trips have you taken? What kind of tourism do you prefer?

§ Which geographical areas have you visited? Which is your favourite one? Why?

§ Have you visited or would you like to visit Spain? What Spanish tourist attractions do you know? What are the main tourist attractions in Ireland?

§ Who do you prefer to travel with? Why?

§ What type of accommodation/activities/tourist transport do you prefer? Why?

§ How do you feel about tourists visiting your country? What is the impact of tourism?

-Entertainment

§ What type of entertainment is your favourite? Why?

§ Do you like video games? How often do you play them?

§ Do you watch or practice any sports? Which ones?

§ How much time do you spend a day on social networks? Which social networks do you use?

§ Have you seen any films or series from Spain? Which ones? Do you know any Spanish actors or actresses?

§ What kind of films and series do you prefer? Why? Can you recommend one? Which have been the last ones that you have seen? Did you like them?

§ Who are your favourite singers or bands? Have you been to any concert? What songs and singers would you recommend?

§ Do you listen to Spanish music? Do you know any Spanish singers, bands or DJs?

§ Do you play a musical instrument? Which one would you like to play?

6. Assessment:

In order to receive 6% of your portfolio marks, you must provide evidence of online collaboration by taking a screenshot during your meetings. You should share with your teacher a link to one of your video recordings, which will be your oral portfolio task (3%). As for your written portfolio task (3%), you must send your teacher a brief report of your virtual language exchange, as well as the final document with your answers to the interview questions, including the comments and feedback from your international partner.

7. Feedback:

These are the aspects you can focus on:

§ Language use (grammar/vocabulary accuracy, range & adequacy)

§ Task achievement (efficient achievement of communicative purpose, content relevance & extent)

§ Topic development (structure, progression & coherence)

You can provide your partner with feedback by commenting on these aspects and writing down at least a strength and a weakness you identified in his or her document or speech.

Enjoy your virtual language exchange!