Deaf people are all different

There are around 8 million deaf people in the UK, with 70, 000 of those using British Sign Language (BSL) as their first of preferred language.

The majority of those 8 million people are deaf, which means that they have a hearing loss and may use hearing aids to gain more auditory access. They generally do not use sign language and are not a part of the Deaf community. There is a sharp increase in deafness amongst those over the age of 70.

The 70, 000 Deaf people who use BSL as their first or preferred language are a cultural, linguistic minority who are members of the Deaf community. They do not perceive themselves as having a hearing loss. They are proud of being Deaf and celebrate their identity as a Deaf person.

What is the Deaf community and what is Deaf culture?

The language used by Deaf people in the community is BSL. This is a language that was first recorded being used in the 16th century and therefore has a wealth of history. Deaf people have a strong sense of being a part of a cultural linguistic minority, through the fact that they use a common language and that they have shared experiences and of what it feels like to grow up in a hearing world.

How to communicate with a Deaf person

The most important thing is to not panic. The only difference is that you are using different languages. Do not feel that the only way of communicating is for you to sign...

• Be expressive and use gestures
• Show friendly/welcoming facial expressions
• Write things down in plain English, don't complicate things
• Point things out - use visual aids like wall signs etc
• Use drawings if you feel that this will help
• Make eye contact - don't move around whilst you are talking, as the Deaf person will be either lipreading you or watching your facial expressions
• Speak clearly - not loud or too fast - do not over-exaggerate your facial expressions as this makes it harder to lipread

Please see the terptree tips

Some quick do's and don'ts
Tips on how to work with a Deaf person in a training course
Tips on how to work with an interpreter