From General English to Maritime English: A Transitional Textbook Development Model for Cruise Service Students Based on OBE and National Curriculum Standards

Abstract

The transition from general English proficiency to specialized workplace communication represents a critical challenge in vocational education for maritime and cruise service majors. This paper presents the development and pedagogical design of Daily Practical English for Cruises, a new-form transitional textbook for higher vocational college students majoring in cruise service. Addressing the gap between students’ existing general English competence (CEFR A2-B1) and the demanding professional communication requirements of international cruise ship operations, the textbook follows a progressive “daily-to-professional” content organization across five modules and twelve units. Grounded in Outcome-Based Education (OBE) principles and the English Curriculum Standards for Higher Vocational Education (2021) issued by China’s Ministry of Education, the textbook systematically integrates four core competencies: workplace intercultural communication, multicultural exchange, language thinking, and autonomous learning. Adopting a modular, project-driven, and task-based instructional design, each unit incorporates listening, speaking, reading, writing, and cross-cultural components, supported by a comprehensive digital resource ecosystem including micro-lectures, AI speech evaluation, and virtual simulation tasks. A distinctive “Three-Chief-Editor” collaborative mechanism—involving school subject leaders, corporate technical experts, and industry authorities—ensures content authenticity and industry relevance. The paper also details the systematic integration of value education through a “One Core, Three Dimensions” framework, embedding traditional Chinese service philosophies into authentic cruise service scenarios. Preliminary implementation data from 237 students across two course iterations show significant improvements in learner engagement (142,677 total page views, 25,328 activity participations), reduced speaking anxiety, and enhanced transferability of skills to simulated workplace scenarios. The textbook fills a critical niche in transitional English for Specific Purposes (ESP) materials and offers a replicable model for competency-based, digitally enhanced, and values-embedded vocational textbook development in the global maritime education context.