Emily Howlett: Communication advice for mixed deaf/hearing groups

As we slowly start to return to a world where some people are leaving their homes for work again, I’ve already noticed that there is a curious mix of attitudes towards deaf professionals… 

Nobody can deny that deafness and sign language are ‘popular’ at the moment, with many TV shows and theatre productions featuring BSL and/or deaf performers, and many companies booking Deaf Awareness training for their staff.

But alongside this, there is a renewed wariness of ‘different’ or ‘difficult’ ways of working – some people still worry that bringing a deaf person into a group may cause, well, trouble. Or difficulty. 

And it absolutely doesn’t.  It’s really, really easy to have a supportive, engaged, creative group of mixed hearing and deaf people – and I fully recommend you give it a go. 

Here’s a reminder of some tips that can help:

General

• Don’t be scared! But it is perfectly fine to feel nervous and ask questions – feel free to do so, politely (this applies to both hearing and deaf people!).
• Make sure you have the attention of the person/group before speaking/signing.
• Be aware of mixed communication abilities – be prepared to sign/speak as clearly as possible to help the other person understand.
• Try not to have strong light behind you (e.g. a window) as this makes you difficult to see.
• Keep your mouth/hands free of clutter e.g. sweets, mobile phones (although if you can fit your phone in your mouth it might be a great ice breaker).
• Feel free to improvise; write things down, use body language and gesture, show rather than tell – we’re all artists after all!
• Take regular breaks, even short ones – mixed communication and visual-based communication can be intense and draining.

Group Situations

• Make sure everyone who needs to can see/hear the BSL interpreter team clearly.
• Avoid moving/pacing while speaking/signing, as it makes you harder to follow (also literally harder for the poor interpreters to follow around keep up with!).
• Use visual aids where possible (e.g. drawings).
• Slow down the pace of communication if necessary, without becoming ridiculous.
• Repeat questions or statements if it is possible someone (including the interpreter) has missed them.
• Be aware of giving everyone a chance to speak – remember there will be a short delay both ways for information received through the interpreter.

Using Interpreters

• Always look at and speak/sign directly to the person you are talking to, wherever possible, NOT the interpreter (but remember interpreters aren’t machines and may still like a cuppa, or other recognition).
• Schedule regular breaks – there are legal guidelines around how long interpreters can work.
• Remember that the interpreter is a few words behind the speaker/signer. Give the interpreter time to finish so that everyone can ask questions or join the discussion. If the conversation always moves on before they have finished, then a deaf person will never have the chance to contribute.
• Try to have only one person speaking/signing at a time during group discussions; t is difficult for an interpreter to follow several people speaking at once..

Emily Howlett is a profoundly Deaf actress, writer and teacher. She makes an awful lot of tea. And mess. She now has not one, but four grey eyebrow hairs. C’est la vie. She tweets as @ehowlett