Talking to the hard of hearing
About a year or so ago I posted in several places online a list of *tips
for talking to the hard of hearing*. I plan to repeat the posting online
and to also e-mail the list to news services and other media as a *public
service* informational item. Before I do so, I invite additional *tips*
from hearing experts, teachers, and other knowledgeable persons through
this general posting which is being placed in several AOL forums and
Internet newsgroups. Please e-mail your input to (AOL) mikemldvn or
(Internet) mikemldvn at aol.com The *tips* that I have to date include
the following:
1. Face the hard of hearing person directly, and on the same level with
him/her, whenever possible.
2. If you are eating, chewing, smoking, etc., while talking, your speech
will be more difficult to understand.
3. Reduce background noises when carrying on conversations -- turn off
the radio or TV.
4. Keep your hands away from your face while talking.
5. If a person has difficulty understanding something, find a different
way of saying the same thing, rather than repeating the original words
over and over.
6. Recognize that hard of hearing people hear and undertand less well
when they are tired or ill.
7. Never talk from another room. Be sure to get the person's attention
before you start speaking to him/her.
8. Speak in a normal fashion without shouting. See that the light is not
shining in the eyes of the hard of hearing person.
Mike Moldeven