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Deaf people (Deaf with a capital D like British with a capital B - to mean belonging to the community) are members of the Deaf Community in the UK. The community is centred on Deaf clubs which exist in every town and city in the UK. They are different from hard-of hearing people or people who have lost their hearing because Deaf people use their own sign language (rather than spoken language). (Back to top)
Deaf people use sign language - more accurately, British Sign Language or just BSL, which has a different structure to English - it is not English on the hands. Finger-spelling is used to represent specific English words when needed. In fact in BSL, the face, the body and the hands are all equally important; Deaf people watch the face when signing, not the hands. BSL is different to other sign languages (eg American Sign Language and French Sign Language) and has been known to exist for over 400 years in the UK. (Back to top)
Everything that can be said in English can also be signed. It is a recognised language and will serve the purpose of all members of the Deaf community. Some Deaf people can use both languages - English (usually written) and BSL - but they may use the English better in some contexts rather than others - not because Deaf people are unintelligent, but because they have had limited access to education. (Back to top)
Deaf people have different degrees of hearing loss and that hearing loss can seem to vary from day to day and from situation to situation. Deaf people who don´t turn around when called, are not ignoring you .... even if they seemed to hear better yesterday. Some Deaf people can hear and people who are hard-of hearing will be able to use a hearing aid. Individuals vary - so some people will be able to conduct a conversation through hearing if the surroundings are quiet but not in noisy situations nor where there are groups of people. Generally, you should not rely on their use of a hearing aid - make your communication as visual as possible. (Back to top)
Deaf people do not lip-read - actually nobody can lip-read English - because around half of it is invisible on the lips - people who seem to lip-read are mostly using guesswork based on their existing knowledge of English and on the context. When you are with Deaf people it is a good idea to face them and speak directly at normal speed, while they are looking at you. Do not cover your mouth/face with your hands and do not sit with the light behind you (eg with the window at your back) as that casts a shadow on your face. Try to avoid visual distractions like waving a pen or random gestures or looking away. If asked to repeat, do so patiently as it does not indicated lack of attention just that the Deaf person just wants to be sure of what you are saying. (Back to top)
Some Deaf people´s speech sounds odd to hearing people; however, you should not believe it is an indicator of stupidity. If you had to try to speak a foreign language which you have never heard and when you cannot hear your own voice properly, your speech would sound funny. If you do not understand, be patient and ask for a repetition. If it is still not clear to you, ask the person to write it down. (Back to top)
With Deaf people, you get attention by gently waving your hand in their line of sight, tapping them on the forearm or moving into their field of vision. You can also gain attention by tapping on the desk or table and by flicking the lights on and off quickly. Try not to approach from behind, never touch on the back or head and DO NOT SHOUT! (Back to top)
It is best to remove objects that are on tables, obstructing the view between you and the Deaf person (flowers, menu cards, stacked trays for incoming mail, etc). Ideally a Deaf person should have a place of work, (desk, workstation, workbench) which allows them to see the rest of the room and other people working there. It is a bad idea to be facing the wall. It should be well lit but not facing the sun. People who come to the desk should have the light on their faces not behind their heads. (Back to top)
One of the most annoying things for a Deaf person at work is when a hearing person responds immediately to sounds (like the telephone or someone calling) while the Deaf person is in conversation with that hearing person. Because a Deaf person may not be able to hear this sound, he/she will feel suddenly cut off if the hearing person looks away or grabs the phone. If you have to, indicate visually or gesturally that the phone is ringing or someone is calling. In signing it is usual to establish the topic first, then to explain about it. It is important for you to make sure the person knows what you are going to talk about before you start explaining. Be visual (use gestures to point to the object or write down the heading) if you wish to change topic or to do something else. (Back to top)
Deaf people vary like everyone else - in temperament, work rate, intelligence, special skills. Like everyone else, they expect to be respected for what they can do at work. They expect to contribute to the team like everyone else. While sign language is complex and takes time to learn, Deaf people will respond positively to anyone who tries to be visual and who makes the attempt to communicate directly. You can learn to fingerspell words under the letter A of Amy & Zing´s A-Z on this website. (Back to top)