Reconsidering Communication Ability of Foreign Care Workers

Assuming Shared Knowledge, Information, and Expectations in the Workplace

Abstract

In recent years, as foreign care workers have increased significantly in Japan, linguistic analysis, educational practice, and teaching materials have been developed, but communication ability has not been sufficiently discussed. This study presents part of the knowledge acquired through fieldwork at a nursing care facility in Japan. The purpose of this research is to explore the communication ability required for foreign care workers using Japanese as a second language in their profession, based on the views of actual staff members who share the workplace with them.

This paper focuses on the results of analysis that may be grouped into three categories based on the data: the ability to share the diversity of the workplace, the ability to have a sense of purpose as a member of the team, and mental ability such as hospitality combined with nonverbal communication ability. The paper goes on to consider these results from the viewpoint of nursing care professionalism and second language communication, and discusses the role of Japanese language education for careers beyond that of care worker.