Note that Deaf spelled with a capital D is used to refer to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing and who identify with the culture, society and language of Deaf people, which is based on Sign Language. Their preferred mode of communication is Sign.
Tips
When you are communicating with someone with hearing loss, the following strategies can be helpful.
If the person isn’t looking at you, attract their attention before speaking with a discreet wave of your hand or a gentle tap on the shoulder.
Speak clearly, pacing your speech and pause normally. You don’t have to shout, exaggerate or over-pronounce your words.
If possible, find a quiet place to converse - background noise for persons with hearing loss can be hard to filter out.
Don’t stand in front of a window or light as it shades your face - poor light and shadows can make it difficult to speech read.
Don’t put your hands, glasses or other objects such as a pen, in front of your face when speaking. This too can make speech reading difficult.
If interacting with a person with an interpreter, be sure to face and speak directly to the person, not the interpreter.
If necessary, ask the person for suggestions on how to improve the communication. He or she may ask you to move away from the light, speak a little more slowly or perhaps even use a pen and paper.
Did You Know?
If you like to learn languages, why not consider learning sign language? Like any other language, it takes quite a while to become fluent. However, an introductory course will give you enough signs to greet, welcome and exchange some basic information. Deaf people always appreciate it when hearing people attempt to speak with them in their language.
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