Elements and Performance Criteria

questioning about needs and preferences
conversations about topical matters
offers of additional assistance.

workplace and local facilities, locations, guiding, activities and events
roles and responsibilities of support personnel
food and beverage products and services
functions, meetings and event services
tourism products and services
workplace health and security
shopping locations, including post office
medical and emergency services
timetables and itineraries.

providing information about the workplace
conducting product and service transactions
answering queries about products and services
providing specialised assistance within the scope of responsibility.

brochures, magazines, newspapers and price lists
signs, maps, diagrams, forms, labels and tickets
pamphlets, timetables, charts, price tags and menus
tour documentation and tickets
booking conditions
invoices.

lost luggage and stolen property
lost people
delays to vacation schedule, and changes and errors in itinerary
service quality issues, such as special dietary needs and dissatisfaction with room, room service or food
medical emergencies and minor injuries
breaches in security and workplace health and safety rules
non-functioning equipment
lack of other guests' awareness and knowledge of social and cultural conventions.

conferences and functions
tours, guiding, cruises and visits to theme parks
accommodation
restaurant services, including food and beverage
entertainment and shopping.

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 any language 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 a range of extended non-verbal communication skills effectively, as well as verbal skills such as narrative and descriptive statements
ability to use repetition, clarification and paraphrasing techniques to clarify requirements, solve problems and conflict, and reassure customers and colleagues
ability to communicate constructively and sensitively in a language other than English to solve problems and conflict, and reassure customers and colleagues in a particular workplace.

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 providing first aid, selling tourism products and services, organising functions, providing site information and assistance, and processing reservations 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, reservations and restaurant equipment

use of resources commonly used to assist workplace communication, including:

dictionaries
maps
pamphlets
menus
tour brochures.

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 workplace documents prepared by the candidate to assist verbal communication
written and oral questioning or interview to test knowledge of the requirements of the language; the culture, and social and cultural conventions; and cross-cultural communication requirements
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:

SITHFAB013A Provide specialist advice on food
SITTTSL005A Sell tourism products and services
SITTTSL007A Receive and process reservations
SITXCOM003A Deal with conflict situations.

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.