Abstract:

Background:
The number of foreigners resident in Japan has continued to increase in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of those foreign residents will experience linguistic difficulties in their daily lives. Nevertheless, communication in a language other than English may be unlikely if a foreigner’s native tongue has few speakers in Japan. ‘Easy Japanese’ is gaining attention as a means of communication between multilingual foreigners in Japan. However, there may be problems with languages that are not widely studied in Japan.

Objectives:
The purpose of this study was to develop an e-learning program for medical translators using Easy Japanese.

Methods:
Based on a program developed in 2016, an e-learning program for Easy Japanese was developed for medical translators.

Results:
The web-based Medical Interpreter Training Program with Easy Japanese included role playing, online word lists, and a vocabulary quiz. A webinar about the culture of Japanese hospitals and ways to improve interpreting skills were also added.

Discussion:
The e-learning program developed for this study has potential for improving students’ knowledge and skills in the field of medical interpreting. However, more research is needed to determine the most effective type of training for medical interpreters. The curriculum developed in this study could be a powerful tool for future research to develop more effective training programs for medical interpreters that can help overcome language and cultural barriers between medical professionals and patients.

Keywords:

E-leaning, Moodle, Easy Japanese, Foreign residents, Development of training program.