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How to
Effectively Use
Interpreter Services |
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How to
Interact With
Deaf and Hard of Hearing People |
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Relax -
Using an interpreter is not meant to be difficult. |
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Relax and
smile. Deaf and Hard of Hearing people want to make
communication easier. |
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Speak
Naturally - not too fast, not too slow. |
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To get a
Deaf or Hard of Hearing person's attention, lightly touch
them on the arm or shoulder. |
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Allow the
interpreter to guide you in setting up the room/situation
to maximize communication. |
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Face the
person. Eye contact is incredibly important when
trying to convey communications to the Deaf. |
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Maintain eye
contact with the Deaf/Hard of Hearing client. |
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Look and
speak directly at the Deaf/Hard of Hearing interpreter is
with you. |
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Do not say
things that you do not want interpreted. The
interpreter ethically must interpret everything they
hear. |
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Remember
that noisy and environments with distractions in them
make the communication harder to provide. |
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Only one
person should speak at a time. This will reduce
confusion and lost information. |
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While many
Deaf/Hard of Hearing people rely on "lip reading/speech
reading", only 30% of communication is captured by the
best lip readers. |
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Don't ask
personal questions regarding the Deaf/Hard of Hearing
client. Ask the client directly. |
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Don't feel
the need to shout or exaggerate your speech. It
only makes things more confusing and uncomfortable. |
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Business
Meetings, On and Off-site Seminars |
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It's a good
idea to discard chewing gum and please don't smoke while
speaking. It hinders the communication process. |
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Group or
One-on-One Meetings |
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Remember to
pay attention to your Deaf/Hard of Hearing user. A
puzzled look might mean you need to clarify or repeat
your remark. |
