3 Methods of Communicating With The Hearing Impaired

Communication is an integral part of everyday life. However, when communicating with someone, it’s essential to consider their needs. For some people, this may be understanding the hearing-impaired population. There are many ways to communicate effectively with the hearing-impaired community, including writing down what you want to say and repeating or rephrasing, if necessary, when speaking aloud. Implementing these strategies into your day-to-day communication practices can create a more inclusive environment for all individuals who need assistance communicating clearly and understanding others effectively.

Who Is the Hearing Impaired?

The hearing impaired have difficulty understanding others or others understanding them due to a decreased ability to hear.

How Can You Support the Hearing Impaired?

The best way to support people who have a hearing impairment is by making sure they know the right time and place to use their devices. For example, you don’t want them using it during an important meeting or in a quiet restaurant where others are having dinner. On the other hand, if taking your conversation outside will make things easier for everyone involved, then that should be fine as well. Try not to yell into the device because this can create more problems than solutions. Of course, you might have someone on speakerphone instead, which isn’t ideal either. Still, there won’t be any misunderstandings about what they said if everything is written out first rather than spoken verbally only. If you are around someone with a hearing impairment, make sure they know that you want to speak with them. Try not to shout or whisper. Instead, speak as you would normally while facing the person directly to avoid confusion about what was said. If words are unclear, repeat yourself.

You Can Write Down What You Want to Communicate

Jotting down what you want to communicate increases the visual aspect of communication, greatly enhancing communication for people with hearing loss. In addition, writing down what you want to share has the advantage of carrying non-verbal cues that people with hearing loss can pick up quickly. For example, if someone were communicating something significant, they may do it more slowly and enunciate their words differently than in everyday conversation to ensure nothing gets lost in translation. In addition, writing saves time since not everything spoken needs repeating. Finally, if you write something down, it can be referred to later, if necessary, which reduces the potential for misunderstandings.

Repeat and Rephrase if Necessary

Repeating what you just said and rephrasing your words when communicating with someone with hearing loss helps ensure nothing gets lost in translation between parties involved. In addition, repeating and rephrasing allow more time for processing information while reducing stress levels associated with deciphering spoken sentences coming at you from all different directions. In addition, repeating and rephrasing allows the person with hearing impairment to process information more slowly, creating a less overwhelming learning environment. Communicating parties should understand each other by repeating and rephrasing ideas when necessary to make communication much smoother.

Speak Clearly Without Shouting

Speaking clearly without shouting helps reduce anxiety levels associated with understanding someone from far away with an accent or speech impediment. In addition, it lets people who have difficulty hearing know what you are saying. That way, they won’t feel left out of the conversations going around them, especially if several people speak simultaneously in close vicinity. Talking audibly also reduces the potential for miscommunication and misunderstandings between the parties involved, which is always a plus.

Make Eye Contact When Speaking

Making eye contact when speaking with someone allows them to focus on you and concentrate on what you want to communicate. In addition, it makes people with hearing difficulties feel connected to the speaker and what is being said, increasing understanding. Eye contact during communication also makes things less awkward by giving those on the receiving end of information more confidence about their abilities to comprehend what is being said. Since communication is an integral part of life, it is crucial to consider the needs of those involved, especially people with hearing impairment. To enhance communication with people with hearing difficulties, consider writing the message you intend to pass down and repeat and rephrase what you want to say when necessary. Also, practice speaking clearly without raising your voice while making eye contact to improve communication. To learn more about communicating effectively with people experiencing hearing loss, please get in touch with our Quality Hearing Aid Center today at (248) 430-8791.