Interrelating with People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
As humans, we are defined by our urge to communicate with others - communicating is the recipe for understanding the world around us. Should we prohibit people from conversations only because they use different channels to share and spread their thoughts? The answer is unquestionable: no.
Although interrelating between deaf and hearing individuals can be a challenge, we should persevere to learn and find techniques for how to engage one another in a conversation. Sign language is a widely accepted and preferred method of communicating with someone deaf or hard of hearing. However, one should not be deterred if he/she is not comfortable signing, as there are various other approaches available to effectively converse.
The most important part of communicating with someone with a hearing loss is to always face them. They heavily rely on the recipient's lips and eyes in the process of understanding them, so making and maintaining eye contact, and creating visual access to your mouth are key elements in such a conversation.
It is natural to depend on a person’s lips and eyes during a conversation but is critical for someone who has difficulty hearing.
On a similar note, facial expressions cover a substantial segment of the discussion. The more you try to signal your emotions, the more someone will understand what you are trying to indicate. For example, a simple smile can alter your entire expressive tone to be perceived more positively during a conversation.
Although we might think that speech is less effective when conversing with a deaf or hard-of-hearing individual, when done thoughtfully, it can be a successful mode of communication.
Another important aspect is the background check- surroundings, environment, noises. Making sure that the lighting in your area is not affecting the visibility of your face furnishes clarity to your conversation. You will make matters easier if you try to confer a clean “space” to be understood. When in a closed space, best practice is to keep lights so you can be clearly seen.
On another note, do not be afraid to use different tools to communicate with the deaf community. If you run into an obstacle, you can always provide a visual, photo or written text to articulate what you have in mind. The goal is to make your ideas as clear as possible, so introducing a piece of paper or other visual aids will only help in that process.
Last but not least, do not surrender! The goal is to be inclusive and acknowledge that individuals who are deaf and hard-of-hearing have as much of a right to connection through communication as anyone. It might be hard at first, but in the end, you will be able to do it.