This week is Deaf Awareness Week!
Taking place every year during the first week of May, Deaf Awareness Week aims to raise awareness of the communication needs of deaf people and improve access to tools and services that will benefit them.
Through increasing awareness of the needs of the deaf community, it is hoped that Deaf Awareness Week will create a more inclusive society where the communication needs of deaf people are given equal consideration.
This year’s theme for Deaf Awareness Week is Deaf Inclusion, highlighting how we can all better support deaf people.
How Many People Are Deaf in the UK?
Around 12 million people in the UK are deaf or hard of hearing, which is the equivalent of 1 in 5 adults.
More than 70% of adults over the age of 70 have some degree of hearing loss. According to the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS), there are over 50,000 deaf children living in the UK and 90% of these children have hearing parents who have little or no experience of deafness.
Half of all deaf children are born deaf – with three babies being born deaf in the UK every day – and the other half will go on to become deaf during childhood.
How to Be Deaf Aware
Whether you’re the hearing parent of a deaf child or have a deaf partner, friend or colleague, there are lots of ways you can be more deaf-friendly in your everyday life.
It’s important to remember that regardless of age, every deaf person is an individual with different needs. Not only will deaf people have differing levels of hearing loss, but they will also have preferences about which communication methods and the types of technology they use. Rather than assuming that all deaf people can lip read or use sign language or that a person’s hearing aid ‘fixes’ their deafness, take the time to find out from that person what their communication needs are and how you can meet them.
From helping your child adjust to their new hearing aid, to ensuring your workplace event is deaf-friendly or even fundraising for one of the UK’s many deaf charities, there are things we can all do to improve the experiences of deaf children and adults.
One of the key aspects of becoming more deaf-aware is learning how best to communicate with deaf people.
The Different Methods of Communication Deaf People Use
Deaf and hard-of-hearing people use a variety of ways to communicate with hearing people and each other.
Sign Language
Sign language is what most people will typically think of when talking about deaf communication. The 2021 census showed that British Sign Language (BSL) was the main language of 22,000 people across England and Wales, an increase of over 6,000 people since the 2011 census.
British Sign Language (BSL) is just one form of sign language. As with spoken languages, there are both regional and national variations, with different countries having their own languages, for example, American Sign Language (ASL) and Chinese Sign Language (CSL or ZGS).
You may also have heard of people using Makaton to communicate. Whilst this is a form of sign language, it is more typically used by hearing children and adults with communication difficulties rather than by deaf people. This article by the Seashell Trust explains the similarities and differences between Makaton and BSL.
One of the ways you can become more deaf-aware is to learn BSL. You can get started by learning some basic fingerspelling and following tutorials online or if you want to take your studies further and become more fluent when communicating with deaf people, you might choose to take an accredited course and study for a qualification, such as a Level 1 Award in British Sign Language.
Lip Reading
Lip reading is another form of deaf communication that most people are aware of, however, that doesn’t mean people necessarily get it right when communicating with deaf or hard-of-hearing people!
It’s important to speak clearly and normally when you’re talking to someone who lip reads and don’t be tempted to exaggerate your facial expressions or slow down your speech as this makes it harder to understand. You should also ensure that you’re in a well-lit area and facing the person when talking, and keep your hands away from your mouth.
The Written Word
Writing things down is another way you might want to communicate. Simply jot down what you’re trying to say and allow the other person time to read and respond. There’s no denying that written communication is slower than speech but it’s ideal for short interactions, for example, giving directions.
Ensure that your handwriting is clear and write in short, simple sentences so that the meaning can be quickly and clearly understood. You can also write things down on your phone, as you would in a text message or email, and show it to the other person.
Speech
If a person has minor hearing loss or uses a hearing device, they may prefer to communicate using speech. Bear in mind that how clearly a person speaks isn’t necessarily indicative of how well they can hear and vice versa so don’t make assumptions.
There are a few things you can do to make it easier for a deaf person to hear you in conversation, like ensuring you get their attention before starting to speak, sitting face-to-face, minimising background noise and not mumbling. You should also be patient if you need to repeat yourself and never be tempted to say, “It doesn’t matter” or, “I’ll tell you later” as these are very frustrating phrases that deaf people hear all too often when they simply want to be included in conversations as they’re happening and not be excluded or singled out.
Communication Tools and Technology
Deaf people use many different types of tools and technology to help them communicate. The one most people will think of is hearing aids or hearing devices, which come in many different forms such as traditional behind-the-ear (or BTE) moulded hearing aids, bone-anchored hearing aids and cochlear implants, to name just a few.
As well as hearing aids, deaf people might use other types of technology to assist them such as a hearing loop (or induction loop), Wi-Fi doorbells, and speech-to-text apps.
How to Get Involved in Deaf Awareness Week 2023
There are many ways you can get involved in Deaf Awareness Week. You could learn a few simple phrases in BSL or pledge to always caption your reels or videos to make them accessible to deaf viewers.
You can get involved on social media, using the hashtag #DeafAwarenessWeek as well as taking part in local events or even hosting your own.
Check out the NDCS website for ideas and inspiration.
Get In Touch
Here at BAHA Accessories, we understand the importance of raising awareness of the communication needs of the deaf community and we fully support Deaf Awareness Week.
If you’re looking for more information about bone anchored hearing aids or BAHA headbands, please visit our blog or get in touch and we’ll do our best to help.
We’re also more than happy to talk you through our various products and designs and how they work to make sure that they’re the right choice for you. Get in touch today by calling 07432 620644 or emailing sales@bahaaccessoriesuk.com. You can also fill in our online contact form and we’ll get back to you ASAP.
We look forward to hearing from you!