Communication Strategies

It Takes Two to Tango

 Don’t try to hide your hearing loss
• Listener: Acknowledge your hearing loss
and tell who you are communicating with
about your hearing loss
• Communication Partner: Don’t shout or
exaggerate mouth movements. Try to
speak clearly with pauses between
phrases
 Use hearing assistive technology
• Listener: If you own hearing aids, use
them. Check to see what devices are
available. Consult your audiologist on the
latest in hearing assistive technology
• Communication Partner: Encourage the
use of assistive devices
 Polish your concentration skills
• Listener: Pay extra attention to the talker.
Watch the talker’s mouth. Try to
concentrate on the topic of conversation
• Communication Partner: Realize that it is a
strain for people hearing difficulties and
appreciate their attempts
 Be prepared
• Listener: Anticipate difficult listening
situations. Create an environment
conducive to listening. Read up on the
topic beforehand
• Communication Partner: Think ahead of
time on how to minimize communication
problems. Remember that planning ahead
and creating a conducive listening
environment will benefit everyone
Use effective clarification strategies
• Listener: Avoid saying, “Huh?” or “What?”
Try asking specific questions or repeating
what you did hear
• Communication Partner: When the listener
misses something, repeat what you said
once, using clear speech. If that’s not
successful, try rephrasing
Try to determine the source of your
difficulty
• Listener: Try to figure out what is causing
your difficulties with a specific talker and
make specific requests, such as, “Could
you speak a little slower?”
• Communication Partner: Speak clearly
and a bit more slowly. Try not to cover
your mouth
Verify what you think you heard
• Listener: If you are unsure you heard a
message correctly, confirm the details with
the talker
• Communication Partner: When speaking,
be sure to speak clearly and ask if the
person with hearing difficulty understood
 Accentuate the positive
• Listener: Use positive words when you
need help, such as, “Could you speak a
little bit louder?”
• Communication Partner: When the listener
with a hearing loss asks you to speak
louder, take it as a compliment; they want
to hear what you are saying
 Be assertive
• Listener: Let your communication partner
know what you need to help facilitate
conversation
• Communication Partner: If the person
you’re talking with indicates they have a
hearing loss and asks for
accommodations, please try to follow
through
 Listen with your eyes not just your
ears
• Listener: Watch the speaker’s face to help
figure out what is being said
• Communication Partner: Since listener’s
can benefit by watching your lips, please
try not to cover your mouth while speaking
 Sometimes it’s okay to break the
rules
• Listener: It’s okay to interrupt people
sometimes to ensure successful
communication
• Communication Partner: Remember even
if someone seems rude, they’re just trying
to let you know they are having difficulties
communicating
 Go easy on yourself
• Listener: Don’t blame yourself or others for
communication difficulties. Try to stay
positive and use the tips provided
• Communication Partner: Even if it’s hard
for you to communicate, it’s even harder
for the person with hearing loss, so
remember to use the tips provided