Hard of Hearing | Understanding Disabilities, Inc

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Learning About Deafness and Hard of Hearing

The terms deaf and hard of hearing refer to how much a person hears. Someone who is deaf hears very little or not at all. Someone who is hard of hearing hears sound, but not loudly or clearly enough to understand everything said. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can do all the things they want to do including activities we associate with hearing, like dancing. Some people who are deaf or hard of hearing use hearing aids or cochlear implants to help them hear more. Some people communicate using sign language. Many people who are deaf or hard of hearing speech-read to aid in communication. ~Understanding Disabilities teaches about hard of hearing in second grade.

We talked in class about ways to help a friend be more aware of what is being said around them. Can you name three?

Answer

There are many ways to help a friend understand more of what is being said around them. These include tapping your friend on the shoulder to get their attention, allowing them to see your face when you talk, being sure your mouth is visible, speaking clearly, summarizing what others have said when your friend arrives to a group, talking one person at a time, repeating what you’ve said if the person asks you to.

If you don’t understand what your friend who is hard of hearing has said, you can politely ask them to repeat their words.