| Standards
of Performance To inform, entertain and care
for visitors to Scotland, and enhance their Scottish Experience.
- Ambassador: promote Scotland, the agent and
the STGA; dispel misconceptions about Scotland.
- Adaptability
: adjust commentary to the needs of the group and involve the group.
- Confidence:
believe in and demonstrate guiding skills and control nerves, by being properly
prepared.
- Creativity : develop a personal style and incorporate
a variety of guiding techniques.
- Credibility : gain trust
and respect from colleagues and clients; use accurate information and verify sources.
- Enthusiasm : show enthusiasm about Scotland in commentary
and in all communication with clients, do not be boring.
- Integrity
: respect the confidentiality of clients and be aware of possible loyalty conflicts
between different client groups e.g. agents and visitors; stick to itinerary.
- Perceptiveness
: be aware of comfort, knowledge level, interest and body language of the group.
- Positive
Attitude : respond to situations as opportunities not problems and encourage and
accept feedback from clients and colleagues
- Professionalism
: be supportive of the aims and code of practice of the STGA and support and respect
colleagues and clients. Avoid giving personal opinions about contentious issues
e.g. politics, religion.
- Punctuality : arrive at least
15 minutes before any meeting time with group and ensure that timekeeping is maintained
for visits and the end of the tour.
- Safety: ensure the
safety of the group and yourself.
- Sense of Humour : be
able to laugh at yourself and situations and use humour appropriately in commentaries;
be aware of the pitfalls inherent in joke telling and cultural differences in
sense of humour.
1.
Dress appropriately for the occasion - city guiding
- tailored trousers or skirt for ladies, with a jacket, tailored trousers or kilt
for men with jacket and tie;
- country or island guiding
- as for city but jackets may be replaced by smart sweaters; weatherproof clothing
and footwear, depending on season;
- outdoor activities,
appropriate protective clothing for weather and conditions;
- be
aware of personal hygiene and condition of clothing.
2.
Establish a welcoming rapport with the group - smile
and greet the group with the appropriate greeting;
- introduce
yourself and the driver;
- make a welcoming statement
which is relevant to the group and the situation e.g. "Welcome to Scotland,
I hope you had a good journey";
- outline the tour
and inform the group of arrangements for breaks and likely arrival times;
- inform
them about heating and ventilation arrangements on the coach;
- check
numbers in the group;
- check names if appropriate;
- check
if anyone has any questions and if everyone understands.
3.1
Position group and self correctly - Walking and Site Tours - lead
the group to the area about which you intend to talk;
- do
not guide while walking;
- inform the group about where
you are going;
- stand with your back to the object you
are talking about but not directly in front of it so that it can be clearly seen;
- make use of natural windbreaks;
- be
aware of the position of the sun or need for shelter;
- be
aware of traffic noise
- gather the group around you;
- face
the group;
- stand tall, do not slouch or lean on walls
or vehicles;
- use open body language, do not fold arms,
do not keep hands in pockets;
- control hand and arm gestures;
- ensure
that you can be heard;
- do not turn away from the group
while talking;
- be aware of the public and of public access;
do not block rights of way;
- be aware of the privacy
of individuals and property;
- be mindful of the protection
of the site e.g. use paths, do not touch objects;
- avoid
moving the group unnecessarily;
- avoid long periods of
standing in cold or wet weather.
3.2 Use microphone
correctly - Coach Tours - check that the microphone
is switched on and working;
- adjust volume for clarity
and interference;
- adjust position of microphone for
clarity, volume and interference;
- check that everyone
can hear;
- ensure that you are not speaking too loudly
for the microphone and adjust the position of the microphone according to feedback
from the group;
- keep the microphone with you while talking
and gesturing and do not allow contact to be lost;
- avoid
walking up the coach with the microphone
4.1
Establish eye contact - stand up and face the
group while making the introduction and scan the group to ensure that you look
at all the members of the group;
- focus attention on
the whole group;
- do not leave anyone out;
- be
aware of cultural differences e.g. do not impose eye contact on Japanese visitors.
4
.2 Maintain eye contact - Walking and Site Tours - face
the group; scan the group throughout the commentary to ensure that you do not
leave anyone out;
- do not turn away while gesturing at
objects, buildings or areas.
5. Use voice correctly
with a variety of pitch and tone - Ensure that
you can be heard by the whole group;
- be aware of your
colleagues and the environment and modulate the volume accordingly when using
the natural voice project your voice and use correct breathing techniques;
- make
use of natural features to project sound e.g. walls;
- find
areas where there is protection from noise, where appropriate;
- vary
your pitch and tone for emphasis and to maintain interest;
- avoid
lowering the tone of your voice at the end of sentences;
- use
a lively tone.
6. Use speech that is appropriate
and in a varied manner, pace, style and vocabulary - use
correct pronunciation;
- use clear simple language; slow
down from normal speech - the larger the group, the slower the speech; articulate
clearly;
- avoid or explain jargon or technical vocabulary;
- make place names clear and if necessary spell them;
- keep dates to a minimum;
- avoid
over used phrases e.g. "over there, on the right, at one o'clock;
- be
enthusiastic and use your sense of humour;
- avoid negative
or suggestive language;
- avoid making judgements or stating
personal opinions on controversial subjects.
7. Relate presentation to the immediate environment and needs of the group
- be relevant - use the landscape and explain what they
can see;
- remember the Top Visual Priorities and the
Must Tells;
- use visual cues to assist with non- visual
information e.g. a site may spark the story of a character;
- do
not miss sites or visits that are on the itinerary and clear any changes with
the tour operator;
- do not go into detail about sites
they will not see;
- do not launch into a long story if
you know an important site is coming up;
- be prepared
to break off if you get a question or if something attracts attention e.g. a wedding,
procession, plants, birds or animals;
- ensure that the
presentation is appropriate for the group e.g. make cultural connections for the
nationality you are guiding;
- make connections according
to their interests e.g. doctors may be interested in medical history, children
may have a project to complete, tourism professionals may be interested in hotels
and attractions;
- use a variety of subjects in your commentary
according to the needs and interests of the group e.g. Environment, Culture, Archaeology,
History, Art, Literature, Music, Scotland Today as well as contemporary situations;
- use anecdotes and stories with human interest, remember
that they want to be entertained as well as informed, use appropriate humour.
8. Present clear and accurate information - do
not read notes, although you may have them with you;
- be
careful not to assume knowledge or to talk down to the visitor
- research
information and be accurate about dates, place and facts;
- if
telling a story or anecdote, say that it is a story or one version of a story;
- make
sure that your presentation is planned and logical and chronological, a story
needs a beginning, a middle and an end.
9. Clearly
give directions for visible objects by word and or gesture - do
not talk about things once you have passed them, if you miss something, leave
it out;
- in the coach, give clear indication of important
sites just before reaching them and give clear directions when they are within
sight e.g. it is at 11 o' clock or it is coming up NOW;
- be
careful about confusing rights and lefts;
- avoid pointing
out things that cannot be seen by all the group e.g. in front;
- use
colours, signs, materials or larger objects to make things clear e.g. the building
with the red roof; when on foot clearly point to the building, object or area
that you want them to see;
- use meaningful hand gestures.
10.
Encourage safety - sit down in a moving coach;
- inform group about safety, use of seat belts, first
aid kit and emergency procedures;
- give driver adequate
warning of directions and be mindful of road conditions and traffic restraints;
- be
aware of driver's hours;
- warn group of hazards e.g.
while walking and on getting off the coach;
- avoid using
doors on offside of the coach unless in a safe area e.g. coach park
- choose
safe routes and use crossings when walking;
- while walking
control the group and keep them with you;
- avoid walking
backwards while talking.
11. React appropriately
to current situations - be prepared to adjust
commentary if road or other environment conditions make it necessary to change
plans or if the group expectations or reaction indicate a reason to change;
- be
aware of the group, they may want to chat or sleep;
- deal
with emergencies and crises for both individuals and the group;
- stay
calm in difficult situations;
- ensure that the driver
and group are aware of return times and meeting places and give clear instructions;
- remember
to count the group before leaving.
12 .Encourage,
repeat and answer questions - be approachable;
- invite
questions at appropriate points;
- be available for individual
questions;
- when group members ask questions, repeat
the question before answering it for the whole group;
- show
pleasure that they have asked a question - it indicates interest;
- avoid
getting involved in a private conversation with one or two visitors when giving
a commentary , offer to talk to them later;
- confirm
that the visitor understands;
- avoid making visitors feel
embarrassed or stupid e.g. do not say "I've just told you that";
- if
you do not know the answer, admit it and try to find out;
- never
argue.
13 .Give supplementary information or
summary on request - be prepared to give more
information when people ask for it;
- be prepared to clarify
and explain.
14. Link information to previous
or future situations and experiences if appropriate - relate
commentary to where the group has been or where they are going e.g. "this
is the Scott Monument, you'll see Abbotsford tomorrow.....".
Assessments
Formative
assessment according to the Standards of Performance on regional study tours on
foot and in coach will be made in conjunction with evidence of written work and
re-assessment may take the form of re-submission of written work, oral viva or
practical re-assessment. Written assessments will be marked according to the University
guidelines. Formative
assessment according to the Standards of Performance will take place on foot and
on coach and may involve language guiding if appropriate. In addition written
assignments will be issued which will be marked according to the University guidelines. Assignments will be marked by the University
according to the University guidelines and reassessment will be available. All
the above elements will receive Credit Accumulation Transfer points (CAT). The STGA examination will be open to
students who have successfully completed all the parts of the STGA Basic Plan
and have received credits from an approved University. The pass mark for written
work is 70%. Students will be able to re-sit all or part of the examination once.
Resits will normally be available the following year. |