How to Communicate With a Deaf Person
Communicating with a deaf person doesn't have to be as difficult as it might seem. The trick is to be patient, straightforward, and to remember that deaf people communicate visually.
Method 1: Starting Your Conversation
You can do this by moving into the person's field of vision and waving from a polite distance, or by tapping the person gently on the shoulder.
Position yourself carefully. Make sure that the light in the room is shining directly onto your face, and that you're not standing with your back to a light.
Find out how the person prefers to communicate. Some deaf people are better lip-readers than others. Some deaf people may prefer to write back and forth or to use an interpreter. Man interactions between the deaf and the hearing require a combination of these methods.
Method 2: Communicating Through Lip-reading.
Keep your sentences simple and use plain language. The more complex your phrasing and vocabulary, the more likely your deaf companion is to miss something.
When someone else is speaking, don't turn away from the deaf person in your group. You don't have to look at the deaf person while someone else is talking, but try to make sure your face is visible.
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A. Get the person's attention. B. It's important not to talk too quickly. C. Or, they'll miss parts of the conversation. D. If so, it'll make them feel left out of the conversation. E. Stand directly in front of the person, at a normal distance. F. The best way to know which methods are most effective is to ask. G. Try not to be too difficult when using your words in the beginning. |
