A Research On The Japanese Proficiency Exams For Japanese Speaking Tour Guides In Taiwan

• Main Authors: Yi-wen Chen, 陳奕文
• Other Authors: Kingto Chang
• Format: Others
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/08045075459208958249

碩士 === 國立高雄第一科技大學 === 應用日語所 === 97 === This research is about the Japanese proficiency exams for Japanese speaking tour guides in Taiwan, in which we intend to find out whether the written and oral skills that the proficiency exams required aligns with the actual needs for jobs as tour guides; and furthermore, can these exam-qualified tour guides satisfy the standards in the industry of tourism. Long before the Tourism Bureau was established, the Department of economic development of Taipei city government and the Department of Transportation of Taiwan provincial government both held separate tour guides qualification exams, hence the first 40 qualified official tour guides in the history of Taiwan tourism were born. It was not organized and institutionalized until the establishment of The Tour Guide Association in January 30th, 1969. Judging from learning the actual situation, and comparing neighborhood countries such as China and Japan, we learn that when the potential Japanese speaking tour guides are being tested, there certainly are a lot of rooms to grow from the types of questions asked, formats, to real time responses. By the year 2004, the Ministry of Examination has held the tour guide exam for 5 years. From analyzing the ministry’s oral and written exams, we’ve learned that the written exams side with the JLPT2 standard, which put emphasis on grammar testing; the questions which apply to actual tour guide works consists about only 50%. The oral exams, then involve self introduction and simple Q&A. Similar format exams are being tested every year. Based on the analytical results on the tour guide exams held by the Ministry of Examination, a survey to students in Japanese language and tourism industry was conducted. Even though students do not have clear ideas about tour guide exams, they do hold interests toward job as a tour guide. However, the industry holds a different opinion and thinks that suitable tour guides are limited. Furthermore, the exams are incapable of finding the right tour guides, especially compared to the exams hold by the Tourism Bureau. Through this research on Japanese speaking tour guide exam in Taiwan, I would like to express my personal opinions on the ministry’s exam, hoping that it could help the exam to reach maturity in the future.