4 - Conversing with Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Individuals
In this blog, I will focus on the best approach to communicating with individuals with a hearing impairment. I will discuss practical tips when conversing with a person with hearing loss who communicates verbally. Remember, these tips do not apply to every single deaf individual out there since we all have different experiences, levels of hearing loss, and accommodation needs. Conversing with the Hearing Impaired I rarely feel shy or embarrassed when showing off my Cochlear Implants. I wear ponytails often, and am currently rocking a pixie cut! However, there were times when I felt insecure when people first approached me and noticed that I have a device attached to my ears. I’ve had people ask me whether I am deaf before we even introduced ourselves. I feel uncomfortable at first and my reply usually goes something like this: “Yes I am deaf. But I can hear almost like you. I just need to read your lips and I require some extra enunciation so that I can understand you fully.” This...