Box 1.

11 tips for communicating with deaf young people

  1. Find out how they communicate – not all deaf children use British Sign Language (BSL). Every deaf child will have a preferred way of communicating, so find out if they use speech, BSL or a mixture of both. If they do use BSL, ask their parents if they will need an interpreter

  2. Get their attention

  3. Face them when you are talking

  4. Speak clearly and naturally

  5. Don’t cover your mouth

  6. Use visual cues where possible

  7. Make it clear what the topic of conversation is

  8. Stand with your face to the light

  9. Reduce background noise

  10. Never give up or say ‘I’ll tell you later’

Reproduced with permission from the National Deaf Children’s Society