Communication Strategies for Family and Friends

1.  Face the Person

Always face the hearing impaired person and get their attention BEFORE you start to speak.  Do not turn your head away when you are talking.  Visual cues are very important during conversation. 

2.  Mention the Topic

Clue the hearing impaired person in to the topic of the discussion and then proceed with the details.  This is especially important when a new topic emerges in the conversation.

3.  Eye Contact

Establish and keep good eye contact with the other person throughout the conversation.  Also, keep your hands and other objects away from your face.  Whether they realize it or not, many hearing impaired persons read lips.  Avoid chewing food or gum when you speak, as it can distract the person trying to read your lips.

4.  Speak Clearly

Speak distinctly in a normal tone and manner.  DO NOT shout.  Extreme loudness only makes the problem worse.

5.  Reduce or Eliminate Noise

If possible, reduce the surrounding noise that interferes with understanding.  For example, move to a quieter room, turn off the faucet, mute the TV, or reduce the volume of the car radio.

6.  Make Sure They Understand You

Do not proceed too far into your conversation without asking the person a qualifying question to ensure that they understand.

7.  Use Good Questions

Structure your questions so that the person cannot answer with a yes or no response.

8.  Repeat with Different Words

If you repeat something, use different words that will express the same message.  If they did not understand the initial words, chances are they will still be confused if you repeat the exact words again.

9.  BE PATIENT!

We have a tendency to raise our voice and show facial disapproval when we are asked to repeat ourselves.  The hearing impaired often misinterpret this reaction and think that you are angry with them.

10.  Write Notes

Use written notes as a back up if more clarification is needed.