Points To Remember While Creating Multilingual eLearning Courses

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With the emergence of globalization, many businesses have increased their international activities. The great majority of these businesses employ eLearning to provide their global workforce with high-quality, affordable training. But there are some things to think about when creating an eLearning course that needs to be translated into other languages.

Here are some points to remember while creating multilingual eLearning courses:

1. Localization Is A Priority

The process of developing multilingual courses for eLearning should start long before any translation is needed. Developing multilingual courses requires special steps and extra resources, which you must scope out and plan for.

Start by deciding which components need to be localized and translated. This typically entails:

  • Written Content
  • Audio and visuals
  • UX components (e.g., navigation buttons)
  • Graphics

Determine the languages that you will be translating into. Will special characters be used? Is it necessary to create the course in an Arabic-like language that reads right to left?

Make time in your project schedule for additional review rounds conducted by a local/native reviewer. The need for a reviewer who speaks the language fluently and is familiar with the cultural considerations of the country you are developing for.

2. Employ Transferrable Language

To guarantee that the written course material applies to the nations in which it will be presented, it should be worked out in advance. This covers the writing style, the terminology, and the topic matter.

  • Bypass using idioms and slang.
  • Don’t use terms that won’t translate properly to refer to places and people.
  • Ensure that the scenarios and analogies you use are appropriate for different cultures.

3. Pay Attention To The Media.

Graphics, music, and video are potent tools that can be used to engage learners, provide visual interest, and simplify complicated content.

  • Transcripts and subtitles in the target language are the simplest approaches to translating audio and video.
  • Use visuals that are culturally indifferent or local to the nations where the course will be delivered.
  • Keep text out of your movies and images. If not, you will have to retrieve and translate the text, which will take more time and money.

4. Icons, Colors, And Symbols

The use of icons is a quick and efficient approach to communication. They enhance memory retention of a concept or fact and can be utilized to convey compact information without the need for writing. They also add an intriguing visual aspect.

They also do not require translation, but some do require localization. In other cultures, certain images and symbols may have a distinct meaning or not exist at all. For instance, in West Africa, Greece, or Russia, giving someone a thumbs up is equivalent to an obscene gesture. 

Additionally, colors have varied connotations across cultural divides. Red indicates love, and occasionally danger in Western nations, but it denotes good fortune and celebration in China. It is important to keep these things in mind while developing multilingual eLearning course content.

5. Choose If You Want A Single Multilingual Module Or Several Locally Tailored Modules

You should think about whether you’ll be creating a sole, culturally-neutral multilingual module or a distinct module for every language now that you know what has to be taken into account when localizing or translating eLearning.

This mainly depends on the requirements of your company, learners, and the training topic. Technical training, for instance, is simpler to redress so that it is appropriate for use in multiple nations.

Others will gain from being heavily localized, in which case you can decide to develop a separate localized module for every language.

6. Tool Selection

Check to see if the eLearning authoring tool you choose can support many languages. The program must be easy to translate and must handle right-to-left scripted languages like Arabic and Hebrew. There are many authoring tools like Adobe Captivate, for example, that offer features to ensure you are creating culturally appropriate multilingual courses for your learners across the globe. 

Conclusion

Understanding the essential components of producing multilingual content is crucial if you want to successfully teach to a worldwide audience. An internationally dispersed workforce needs the chance to study in their native tongue since it lowers anxiety, makes comprehension easier, and demonstrates that the learning management and business itself care about the needs of the learners.

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