Lets Review Some Helpful Basic Communication Tips

15 Jan , 2016

There are some basic simple things you can do to be better understood. Communication is however a two-way street. Here are tips for the person who hears well, and for the person who has some form of hearing loss:

Tips for the Hearing Person, to Best Communicate with the Person who has a Hearing Loss:

 Set Your Stage.

• Face the person directly.
• Spotlight your face, be sure your face is seen well (no backlighting).
• Avoid noisy backgrounds.
• Get the other person’s attention before speaking.
• Question, how you can facilitate communication best.
• When audio and acoustics are poor, emphasize visual cues. 

Get the Point Across.

• Don’t shout.
• Speak clearly, at a moderate pace, not over-emphasizing words.
• Don’t hide your mouth, chew food, gum, or smoke while speaking.
• Re-phrase if you are not understood. Choose a different word.
• Use facial expressions and gestures.
• Give clues when changing subjects or say directly… “new subject.”

Establish Empathy With Your Audience.

• Be patient if the response seems slow.
• Talk directly to the hard of hearing person, not about him or her to another person.
• Show respect to help build confidence and have a constructive conversation.
• Maintain a sense of humor, stay positive and relaxed.

Tips for the Person with Hearing Loss to Best Communicate with Hearing People:

 Set Your Stage.

• Tell others how best to talk to you.
• Pick your best spot, (light, quiet area, close to the speaker).
• Anticipate difficult situations, plan how to minimize and deal with them in advance.

Do Your Part.

• Pay close attention.
• Concentrate on the speaker. Try not to be distracted and look away from them.
• Look for visual clues.
• Ask for written cues if you need them.
• Don’t often interrupt. Let conversations flow to fill in the blanks and gain more meaning.
• Maintain a sense of humor, stay positive and relaxed.

Establish Empathy With Your Audience.

• React. Let the speaker know how well he or she is conveying the information. Be somewhat animated.
• Don’t bluff. Admit it when you don’t understand. Let the speaker know and give them an opportunity to rephrase.
• If too tired to fully concentrate, ask for a discussion at another time and place.
• Thank the speaker for trying.