Hearing tactics for people with normal hearing Here you find advice on how you can contribute to successful communication with a hearing impaired person.

Make sure the listening conditions are the best possible:

Avoid background noise and poor acoustics when you talk with a hearing im-paired person. If the room you are in is not quiet, go outside or find another room where you can talk. Turn down the volume of the radio and TV. Close windows that are open towards a street with a lot of traffic noise.

Catch the attention of the hearing impaired person. Touch his or her shoulder, knock on the table and look directly at them so that they understand that you are addressing them. Ask other people present to keep their voices down. Have pen and paper ready if that should be necessary.

Provide the hearing impaired person with key words as to what the conversation is about (for example: “We are talking about Rita’s daughter”, or “now we are talking about Steven’s work”).

Do not speak all at once, but one at a time.

Make sure there is plenty of light in the room – candle light is cosy but prevents the person with hearing loss from lip-reading.

Do not cover your mouth (for example behind a newspaper or your hands), as that makes lip-reading impossible.

Do not speak with food in your mouth as this slurs your speech.

Be aware that people with a hearing loss tire more easily in a conversation than people with normal hearing

Ask if the person needs a listening break and maybe wants to sit by himself or herself.

Ask if the person needs a quiet room to rest in.

Do not raise your voice if it can be avoided – and never raise your voice directly into the hearing aid

Use normal volume of voice when standing next to a person with hearing loss.

Speak distinctly with easily readable mouth movements.

Speak directly to the person with hearing loss

Do not shout or speak from another room.

Never speak to people with hearing loss when they have their backs turned. Place yourself next to them instead and catch their attention.

When you communicate with a hearing impaired person, you should make sure that there is plenty of light in the room

Make sure there is plenty of light.

Never stand with your back to a window or an open door. The light from the win-dow or door will shine in the eyes of the hearing impaired person and put you in shadow. This means that the person with hearing loss will have difficulty seeing your lips move.

Place yourself so that your face is in full light when you communicate. It makes lip-reading easier.

Speak slowly and distinctly

Make sure not to swallow entire words or the last part of words and speak slowly without exaggeration. If you jabber, it will be difficult to catch what you say.