"Engelsk er ikke nok i reiselivsbransjen" : eine Studie zur Schülermotivation für das Deutschlernen unter Berücksichtigung der Tourismusbranche in Tromsø

Abstract

Norwegian students become less and less motivated to take German as a foreign language while Spanish, supposedly easier to learn and more enjoyable, becomes more popular. Simultaneously, the growing Norwegian tourist industry has an increasing demand for qualified workers with German language skills.

This thesis analyzes the above thematic by questioning high school students on their attitude towards the German language and their motivation for learning it. To gain insight into the demand of the tourist industry, several local businesses within the industry are interviewed on their demand and need for skilled workers with German language competency.

We find that there is a discrepancy between the language demands of local businesses and the quality of German classes in Tromsø high schools. Furthermore, many students lack a distinct motivation to learn German as a foreign language and few are aware that this competency increases their career possibilities in the tourist industry.