Challenges in Workplace Communication Among Foreign Technical Intern Trainees and Initiatives for Japanese Language Education Support: Focusing on Case Study of a Company in Yamaguchi Prefecture

外国人技能実習生の職場コミュニケーションにおける課題と その解決に向けての日本語教育支援の試み －山口県内企業における事例を中心に－

Challenges in Workplace Communication Among Foreign Technical Intern Trainees and Initiatives for Japanese Language Education Support: Focusing on Case Study of a Company in Yamaguchi Prefecture

In this study, an interview survey was conducted to examine communication between foreign technical intern trainees and Japanese employees in the workplace, focusing on companies in Yamaguchi Prefecture that accept foreign technical intern trainees. The results revealed that the primary factors contributing to communication misunderstandings between foreign technical intern trainees and Japanese employees stemmed from cultural differences between low-context and high-context communication styles, as well as a lack of consideration in the Japanese expressions used by Japanese employees in the workplace. Furthermore, an additional survey of both technical intern trainees and Japanese employees highlighted that the most frequent misunderstandings arose not from complex expressions but from simple phrases like “I understand.”
To facilitate smoother workplace communication, foreign technical intern trainees were provided with opportunities to learn the original meaning and proper usage of phrases such as “I understand” and were guided on the importance of asking for clarification when necessary. Additionally, feedback was given to Japanese employees to help them understand the reasons behind the linguistic behaviors of foreign technical intern trainees. These initiatives were found to significantly foster mutual understanding and proved highly effective for both parties.

Creators MATSUMURA Nobuhiro

Creators LIM Hyunjung

[EISSN]2189-4825