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(Basics for Non-Signers) edited by Johnathan
Barr*
I. Avoid stereotyping deaf people:
A. Lip Reading is quite difficult.
- Example: "Did you enjoy your dinner?"
-- Try to read that!
- Example: "I'll have two," looks
like "I love you."
B. Speaking loudly most likely will not improve
communication.
- Most of the time it only irritates those
around you.
- It can also increase your frustration level.
C. Deaf people consider themselves a minority,
not a handicapped group.
- At any rate, the handicap is a communication
handicap.
- Someone once said, "Deafness is not
a handicap, it is a way of life."
II. Communicate Yourself:
A. Get the deaf person's attention visually
or by touch (not vocally).
B. Let the deaf person know the subject of
discussion.
C. Speak clearly without exaggerating lip movements.
D. Look directly at the deaf person.
E. Don't obscure your mouth.
F. Don't stand in front of a light source.
G. Wear solid colors.
H. Maintain eye contact while you are talking.
I. Use mime, facial expression and "natural
signs."
J. Repeat or rephrase something that is not
understood.
K. Be courteous to the deaf person.
L. Don't assume that a nod means the person
understood.
III. Write the message:
A. Remember English is a deaf person's second
language.
B. Be as simple and clear as possible without
being condescending.
C. Finish your thought on paper. (Many deaf
people will stop you before you complete the
thought, thinking they understand.)
IV. Get an interpreter:
A. Especially for linguistically complicated
communication, or
B. When giving specific directions, or
C. When you are not getting your idea across.
D. Avoid the use of phrases like "Tell
him" or "Tell her."
*Adapted from a lecture by
Gary Sanderson, Interpreter Coordinator for California
State University, Northridge.
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