TEACHING POLITENESS NORMS IN ENGLISH CLASSES AT A TOURISM COLLEGE

This research aims at answering problems: “How to teach politeness norms in English classes at a tourism college?” and “Will the students’ knowledge of politeness norms improve their English speaking skills and hospitality skills in relating to and serving tourists during their duties of internship in tourism industries?” This study is an experimental research based. It uses three techniques for collecting data: observation and field notes, questionnaire, and in-depth interviewing. The 1st stage of research was undertaken at Travel Department of Sahid Tourism Institute of Surakarta from March to September 2013. The 2nd stage was undertaken within tourism industries in Central Java and Yogyakarta Special Province from October 2013 to March 2014. In 1st stage, the research group is made up of 20 students forming an experimental group and another 20 forming a control group. A lecturer of English for Tourism joins both groups. In the second stage, the research subjects are made up of the 40 students, 10 senior staffs of tourism industries and 50 English speaking guests as research subject. The lecturer taught English for Tourism to both student groups with these materials: (1) meeting tourists at the airport/railway station; (2) providing information upon arrival on how to get to hotel; (3) giving directions; (4) giving information about art performances and entertainment; (5) beginning a tour and describing the itinerary; (6) describing points of interest on the tour route; (7) describing process in making art objects; (8) bargaining for souvenirs; (9) handling guest complaints and (10) providing information upon departure with the way to the airport/railway station. Unlike to the control group, the lecturer also teaches politeness norms to the experimental group by inserting them in the pre-teaching activity, while-teaching activity and post-teaching activity. The research findings show that: (1) teaching politeness norms is appropriate at introduction part of each topic; by giving conversational model and practice of polite and impolite expressions in the main activity and evaluating them at the end of teaching activities and (2) the students’ knowledge of politeness norms which come from well known noble Javanese nuanced culture namely unggah-ungguh improves their behavior towards guests during their duties of internship in tourism industries. The norms include: (a) sumanak ‘friendly’, (b) andhap asor ‘giving high respect and appropriate appreciation’, (c) sabar lan sareh ‘patient and with ease, calm’, (d) empan papan ‘matches with the setting and occasion’, (e) tepa slira ‘showing a feeling of sympathy or solidarity’ and (f) nuju prana ‘pleasing, satisfying’. The findings indicate strongly that the materials of politeness norms should be best inserted in teaching English for Specific Purposes, especially English for Tourism. Moreover, not only do the teaching of politeness norms develop the students’ polite English speaking skills, but also increase their hospitality skills. Keywords: politeness norms, English for tourism, a tourism colleg