Project description
Project Title: Professional Foreign Language Preparation of VET Students in Customer Service for Quality Tourism (ProTourism)
Program: Erasmus+ KA220-VET
Project Leader: Klett Bulgaria OOD
Partners:
Profil Klett Ltd. (HR)
AURH – The Association of Schools of Restaurant and Hotel Management in Bulgaria
Srednja šola za gostinstvo in turizem Celje (SI)
Publishing House Klett Ltd. Belgrade (RS)
Total Project Value: €123,261.00
EU Grant: €98,608.80
About the project
The demand for skilled professionals in the tourism sector continues to rise, emphasising the critical role of Vocational Education and Training (VET) Language teachers in preparing students with relevant language skills. This project delved into the creation of innovative pedagogical materials designed to enhance VET Language teachers’ capabilities in delivering high-quality, industry-relevant English language education. Focused on areas such as Customer Service and Communication, these materials aimed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and employers’ expectations, ultimately benefiting VET students entering the tourism workforce.
The first part of this output centred on developing teaching content accessible through an online platform (IZZI). This content focuses on key thematic fields relevant to the tourism industry and is structured into micro-units to facilitate effective learning. Each module integrates textual and visual content, complemented by interactive exercises to engage students actively. Additionally, the material is designed to support both teacher-assisted instruction and self-managed learning, catering to diverse learning styles.
The second part of the output comprises detailed teachers’ guidelines, providing insights into utilising the online platform effectively and incorporating digital education tools. These guidelines also encompass contemporary strategies for effective language teaching tailored to VET students, ensuring a comprehensive approach to language acquisition and skill development.
One of the primary innovative aspects of this endeavour is the digital nature of the pedagogical materials, specifically tailored to the curriculum of VET schools in the tourism sector. These materials underwent validation by professional teaching communities across partner countries, ensuring alignment with industry standards and current employer demands. By integrating updated content reflecting industry needs and contemporary teaching methodologies, these materials empower teachers to foster active student engagement and enhance learning outcomes.
The expected impact of this initiative extends to multiple stakeholders. Language teachers stand to improve their professional and digital competencies using modern teaching tools and strategies. VET students benefit from enhanced language skills relevant to customer service and communication within the tourism sector, aligning with industry expectations and improving their employability prospects.
The transferability of these pedagogical materials is a crucial aspect, facilitated by their digital availability. Adaptable to different national VET systems, these materials can be quickly disseminated, ensuring broader accessibility and scalability across diverse educational contexts.
Our role
Profil Klett contributed to this project by organizing a focus group with various stakeholders from the industry. We held the partners’ meeting in Zagreb, where we discussed the modules and units for the pedagogical materials. We oversaw the writing of guidelines for teachers on how to use IZZI, our platform for digital educational materials, and conducted a workshop to present it. In coordination with professors at VET schools in Croatia, we piloted these materials in schools and reviewed the content afterwards, suggesting improvements.
