• SITTGDE006A - Prepare and present tour commentaries or activities

Assessor Resource

SITTGDE006A
Prepare and present tour commentaries or activities

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


Interpreting and presenting information to visitors is a key function for guides working in a range of locations and in multiple tourism industry sectors and organisation types.

This unit can have broader industry application and can apply to cultural industries where delivery of a commentary or activity takes place in a museum, gallery, library, performing arts centre or zoo; sport and recreation industries for commentaries or activities that are linked to outdoor and adventure activities such as guided bushwalking; and to any industry that operates tours at an industrial site, e.g. breweries, waste management facilities and factories.

It applies to frontline personnel who operate with some level of autonomy or under limited supervision and guidance from others. The role is undertaken by a diverse range of people such as tour guides, tour managers, tour directors, site guides, interpretive guides, walking guides, outdoor recreation guides, museum guides, heritage guides, cultural guides, nature-based guides, driver guides, coach captains, specialist guides and owner-operators of small tour operations.

It is critical that training and assessment is contextualised to meet the requirements of local tourism industry operations. Funding and hours allocated to pre-vocational training must allow for a broad scope of guiding contexts to be covered to allow for broad vocational outcomes and utility of the graduate to the local industry. Pre-vocational training should also cover a broad scope of locations and destinations within the city or region in which the guide is training to work. This critical requirement will ensure that city or region-based local guides have the skills and knowledge required to deliver commentary for the range of different locations expected by local tourism industry operators.

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to prepare and present commentaries or activities to customers. Its main focus is on the need to use effective interpretation and presentation techniques to ensure customer participation and enjoyment. Tour guides may have generalist or specialist knowledge and the diversity of information imparted is immense and immeasurable.

This unit does not focus on the knowledge base but on the skills required to prepare and present information. The unit goes beyond the delivery of fully-scripted commentary and requires significant creative input. SITTPPD005A Plan and develop interpretive activities, is dedicated to the actual development of interpretive activities.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Prerequisites

Nil


Co-Requisites

This unit involves substantial knowledge of the subject matter around which the commentary or activity is based. This knowledge must be thoroughly assessed.

Assessment with one of the following co-requisite units of competency, unless previously completed, is required:

SITTGDE007A Develop and maintain the general and regional knowledge required by guides

SITTGDE008A Research and share general information on Australian Indigenous cultures

SITTGDE009A Interpret aspects of local Australian Indigenous culture

SITTGDE010B Prepare specialised interpretive content on flora, fauna and landscape

SITTGDE011B Prepare specialised interpretive content on marine environments

SITTGDE012B Prepare specialised interpretive content on cultural and heritage environments

FDFCDSWTB Promote wine tourism information.


Employability Skills

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit is packaged will assist in identifying employability skills requirements.




Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the following is essential:

ability to select information and prepare commentaries or activities to meet a specific need

ability to use interpretive and presentation techniques to create customer-focused, informative and entertaining experiences for customers

preparation and presentation of multiple commentaries or activities covering a range of topics that meet the differing needs of various customer groups to ensure consistency of performance (for city or region-based generalist guides, this should include the delivery of information that covers different destinations within the city or region

presentation of activities and commentaries of a duration that reflects local industry product and practice

preparation for and presentation of commentaries or activities within multiple guiding environments (e.g. at a tourist site, on a coach tour, in a national park or on a walking tour) to ensure that skills can be adapted to different guiding contexts.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

preparation for and presentation of commentaries or activities within commercially realistic guiding environments (e.g. at a tourist site, on a coach tour, in a national park or on a walking tour)

use of industry-current equipment for presentation that will vary according to the operational context of delivering the commentary or activity (e.g. a microphone is essential equipment for coach touring)

presentation to and interaction with customer groups of a size and nature that reflect the commercial environment in which the guide operates.

Methods of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess the practical skills and knowledge required to prepare and present tour commentaries or activities. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

direct observation of the candidate presenting commentaries or activities and using equipment effectively

questioning tour members as to the candidate's communication skills, breadth of knowledge and ability to deliver knowledge in an interesting way

case studies to assess ability to tailor activities and information to suit particular customer needs

case studies and problem-solving to assess ability to respond effectively to problems that occur during activities or commentaries

written and oral questioning or interview to test knowledge of interpretive and presentation techniques

review of guiding activities undertaken as part of industry placement and training with an industry operator

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:

SITTGDE007A Develop and maintain the general and regional knowledge required by guides

SITTGDE008A Research and share general information on Australian Indigenous cultures

SITTGDE009A Interpret aspects of local Australian Indigenous culture

SITTGDE010B Prepare specialised interpretive content on flora, fauna and landscape

SITTGDE011B Prepare specialised interpretive content on marine environments

SITTGDE012B Prepare specialised interpretive content on cultural and heritage environments

FDFCDSWTB Promote wine tourism information.

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.


Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)


Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

The following skills must be assessed as part of this unit:

microphone techniques, as and when applicable to the operational context of delivering the tour commentary or activity, e.g. a coach touring context

interpretation of specific customer needs and any specific services previously confirmed with customer

high-level communication skills to facilitate the gathering and analysis of complex information and interpret and adapt this for simpler communication to customers

creative communication techniques for interpretive commentaries or activities, including such things as storytelling, role-play, games, sensory awareness exercises and illustrated talks

high-level communication skills to present in an informative, engaging, educational and enjoyable manner and interpret and answer customer questions.

The following knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit:

in-depth knowledge of subject matter being presented which will vary according to context

presentation and interpretive techniques, including the role and use of:

humour

body language

role-play

voice techniques

storytelling

games and activities

sensory awareness exercises

visual aids and props

positioning

safety and emergency procedures for relevant locations.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below.

Needs of specific customers may vary according to:

geographic origin

cultural background

age

disability

educational level

special interests

requested coverage.

Commentariesor activities may relate to a range of subjects, including:

history and heritage

culture

art

natural environment

built environment

wildlife

domestic and farm animals

birds.

Operational context may relate to:

coach touring

guided walks

guided site activities

entertainment-based tours, such as ghost tours.

Equipment and resources may include:

microphone, where applicable to the operational context and assessed as necessary (e.g. on a coach)

audiovisual equipment

videotapes and DVDs

props.

Unexpected events may include:

systems failure

equipment failure

injury, accident or death

adverse weather conditions

inappropriate customer behaviour

customers who cause disruption and disturbance to other tour members, host communities and the environment

unpredictable animal behaviour

sudden closures

change of access

customer health issues, causing a reassessment of physical abilities.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Select and organise appropriate information to meet the needs of specific customers, operational contexts and timing restrictions. 
Select or develop appropriate themes as a basis for commentaries or activities. 
Construct commentaries or activities to maximise the potential for customer enjoyment and learning. 
Obtain, check and assemble all support materials in advance of the tour or activity. 
Use interpretive and presentation techniques to combine entertainment and learning and to enhance the quality of the experience for the customer. 
Use language appropriate to the customer group. 
Present current, accurate and relevant information in a logical order. 
Present information of appropriate depth and breadth for specific customer needs. 
Present information in a manner that demonstrates cultural and social sensitivity. 
Pace the presentation according to timing requirements and operational context. 
Use equipment and resources correctly and identify and report any equipment defects promptly. 
Encourage customer participation within safety requirements through effective use of interpretive and presentation techniques. 
Invite questions and feedback from customers both during and at the conclusion of any commentary or activity. 
Answer questions courteously and correctly and, if required, involve the whole group by repetition of the question and delivery of answer audible to all. 
Where the answer to a question is unknown, offer to supply the answer at a future time or refer the customer to other information sources. 
Maintain communication with appropriate colleagues as required by specific tour or activity circumstances. 
Implement contingency plans without delay when unexpected events occur and amend presentation format, order or structure to minimise impact on customer enjoyment. 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

SITTGDE006A - Prepare and present tour commentaries or activities
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

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I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

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Assessment Record Sheet

SITTGDE006A - Prepare and present tour commentaries or activities

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

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Student signature:

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