ACT Deafness Resource Centre

Imagine a world without sound!

COMMUNICATION

Deafness

How to communicate with a person who has a mild/severe hearing loss

	Always get the deaf person’s attention before you start to communicate with them. Use their name when speaking. Make sure the deaf person is looking at the person speaking. Do not look down or look away when speaking as it is impossible to lip read. Make sure there is enough light on the face of the person speaking to enable the deaf person to lip read easier. Keep your hands away from your face when speaking to a deaf person so that they can see your mouth, face and eyes as they all give clues. Use sentences rather than single words, but keep them short and to the point. Give clues to the subject you are speaking about. If the deaf person does not understand what you have said try rephrasing the sentence or writing down information. Never sit with your back to a window when communicating with a deaf person as this casts a shadow over your face. Where possible speak at eye level and within adequate range, not too close and not too far away. Do not hide your eyes behind dark glasses. Do not eat, chew gum or hold a pen etc in your mouth when speaking. Remember to speak clearly, with a natural rhythm of speech, not too fast or too slow. Do not shout or emphasize words. Remember a hearing aid does not make a person hear normally. Never say ‘oh forget it – it doesn’t matter – it’s not important’. It is very important for deaf people to understand what is being said, whether it is in a meeting, social gathering or every day chit chat. Remember a deaf person may nod when you are speaking to them, but it does not necessarily mean that they have understood what you have said. Get the person to clarify what you have discussed.