After getting hired, deaf and hard of hearing people often face a new challenge on the job: how to make supervisors and co-workers comfortable with their hearing loss. This was the topic of a useful forum discussion. Selected and edited postings follow.
Still Struggle With It! I have been in the work world for many many years, and to be honest, I still struggle with this! I am honest and open with my bosses, and willing to try accommodations they suggest even when it is silly, and I know from past attempts will not work...I am still trying to train my co-workers to face me when they talk after over 5 years in my current position. I think they mostly just forget since deafness tends to be an "invisible disability".
deaf is the easiest way to go. I also encourage questions if they have them, even dumb ones.
- KarenEloise
Hearing Person's Perspective
I am a hearing person who works with one deaf person...I am also the only one who can really communicate with her while she does lipread & talk I am the only one that can sign with her. Everyone else in the office always says that they would love to learn how to sign but they never do/have no matter how much encouragement I give them to do so.
Its sad but some people have come up to me and said that they would like to talk to her but they dont know how because they cant understand her when she talks so If she happens to be talking to her they just smile & nod even though they have no idea what she said. I haven't told her (i dont even know if I should) and I dont know if she knows or not. I keep telling them to just try and if they have huge problems then write the message down or come & find me if they get desperate.
- listenswithheart
Carry a Pad and Pen
KarenEloise replied to listenswithheart, with advice:
I think you should talk with her and while you do not have to be blunt, she should know that her co-workers have trouble understanding her. Perhaps she should take a pen and pad with her and write her messages. It would be the same if she spoke Spanish or French and they could not speak that language. It takes a lot of committment to be able to go to sign classes and learn even a few basic signs. I wonder if there is any way to at least have some people learn to finger spell? I have posted a fingerspelling chart at my work station, and some of my co-workers are learning by seeing that up and trying to make the shapes.
Don't Be a Parrot Head
...my opinion is that you could maybe tell these poeple that are just nodding when they are acting like they understand (referred to as a parrot head where i am from) that they could try a little bit harder to communicate like that other post suggested (paper and pen/ fingerspelling etc...), but at the same time let them know that some Deaf people are very understanding and patient and are smart enough to know that there is a language barrior present! In my experience, the Deaf person would rather see someone try than act lke they understand right away. Believe it or not....many times the Deaf person knows you aren't getting it, but just gives up at that particular time due to lack of effort. I used to be a parrot head...it really makes the situation more embarrasing when you act like you understand, but don't really have a clue. They will catch you! Some will acknowledge and drop it and some will embarrass you by pointing out that you really didn't understand...
- ilyangel
Are They Really Willing?
listenswithheart replied:
I have to say that what really frustrates me is that there are so many people who have come up to me asking how I learnt sign language and how long it took then they say that they have always wanted to learn so i encourage them to do so but they NEVER do ... and they never bother asking how to sign even hello or learn the alphabet...
Teach a Sign Class
ilyangel suggested teaching a sign language class:
Maybe you could get together enough people and teach a small class of just basic signs. You could charge if you want to, but more people would probably be interested if it was free.
Signs of Progress
listenswithheart responded:
thanks for that idea however given the amount of time it woud take i doubt my boss would approve of it ... and it takes lot for people in my office to do things outside of work hours & at lunchtimes .... i'll give it some thought though and see what happens .
I wouldnt charge because like you said it might turn people off.
One good thing is that this week I have to attend a course on customer service ... and when i looked at the schedule of when i had to attend i notice that my deaf collegue wasnt on there ...
i found out yesterday that my company has decided to get all the deaf/hearing impaired people that work for my company all together and let them do the course themselves .... i think they are going to modify the course so that it relates to them as our deaf employees dont use the phone its pretty pointless sending them to a course that focuses on telephone technique so hopefully they will bring in an interpreter (fingers crossed) ... my collegue couldnt tell me what they are going to do (personally I dont think they do either) Similar to School Experience Being "alone in the workplace" (the only deaf or hard of hearing person) is very similar to being the only deaf or hard of hearing person in your school or classroom. - GinaOliva
Still Struggle With It! I have been in the work world for many many years, and to be honest, I still struggle with this! I am honest and open with my bosses, and willing to try accommodations they suggest even when it is silly, and I know from past attempts will not work...I am still trying to train my co-workers to face me when they talk after over 5 years in my current position. I think they mostly just forget since deafness tends to be an "invisible disability".
deaf is the easiest way to go. I also encourage questions if they have them, even dumb ones.
- KarenEloise
Hearing Person's Perspective
I am a hearing person who works with one deaf person...I am also the only one who can really communicate with her while she does lipread & talk I am the only one that can sign with her. Everyone else in the office always says that they would love to learn how to sign but they never do/have no matter how much encouragement I give them to do so.
Its sad but some people have come up to me and said that they would like to talk to her but they dont know how because they cant understand her when she talks so If she happens to be talking to her they just smile & nod even though they have no idea what she said. I haven't told her (i dont even know if I should) and I dont know if she knows or not. I keep telling them to just try and if they have huge problems then write the message down or come & find me if they get desperate.
- listenswithheart
Carry a Pad and Pen
KarenEloise replied to listenswithheart, with advice:
I think you should talk with her and while you do not have to be blunt, she should know that her co-workers have trouble understanding her. Perhaps she should take a pen and pad with her and write her messages. It would be the same if she spoke Spanish or French and they could not speak that language. It takes a lot of committment to be able to go to sign classes and learn even a few basic signs. I wonder if there is any way to at least have some people learn to finger spell? I have posted a fingerspelling chart at my work station, and some of my co-workers are learning by seeing that up and trying to make the shapes.
Don't Be a Parrot Head
...my opinion is that you could maybe tell these poeple that are just nodding when they are acting like they understand (referred to as a parrot head where i am from) that they could try a little bit harder to communicate like that other post suggested (paper and pen/ fingerspelling etc...), but at the same time let them know that some Deaf people are very understanding and patient and are smart enough to know that there is a language barrior present! In my experience, the Deaf person would rather see someone try than act lke they understand right away. Believe it or not....many times the Deaf person knows you aren't getting it, but just gives up at that particular time due to lack of effort. I used to be a parrot head...it really makes the situation more embarrasing when you act like you understand, but don't really have a clue. They will catch you! Some will acknowledge and drop it and some will embarrass you by pointing out that you really didn't understand...
- ilyangel
Are They Really Willing?
listenswithheart replied:
I have to say that what really frustrates me is that there are so many people who have come up to me asking how I learnt sign language and how long it took then they say that they have always wanted to learn so i encourage them to do so but they NEVER do ... and they never bother asking how to sign even hello or learn the alphabet...
Teach a Sign Class
ilyangel suggested teaching a sign language class:
Maybe you could get together enough people and teach a small class of just basic signs. You could charge if you want to, but more people would probably be interested if it was free.
Signs of Progress
listenswithheart responded:
thanks for that idea however given the amount of time it woud take i doubt my boss would approve of it ... and it takes lot for people in my office to do things outside of work hours & at lunchtimes .... i'll give it some thought though and see what happens .
I wouldnt charge because like you said it might turn people off.
One good thing is that this week I have to attend a course on customer service ... and when i looked at the schedule of when i had to attend i notice that my deaf collegue wasnt on there ...
i found out yesterday that my company has decided to get all the deaf/hearing impaired people that work for my company all together and let them do the course themselves .... i think they are going to modify the course so that it relates to them as our deaf employees dont use the phone its pretty pointless sending them to a course that focuses on telephone technique so hopefully they will bring in an interpreter (fingers crossed) ... my collegue couldnt tell me what they are going to do (personally I dont think they do either) Similar to School Experience Being "alone in the workplace" (the only deaf or hard of hearing person) is very similar to being the only deaf or hard of hearing person in your school or classroom. - GinaOliva