How to talk with clEAR Speech when conversing with someone who has hearing loss

Just like dancing a tango, it takes two people to conduct a conversation. When one of the conversational partners has a hearing loss, we often assume that this person must do all of the work in making a conversation successful---for example, the person with hearing loss might wear a hearing aid, try to read lips, ask for clarification when communication breakdowns occur, and so forth.

That a person with hearing loss should take responsibility for successful conversations is only partly true because the other person in the conversation also has a responsibility to talk as clearly as possible so that the person with hearing loss can best understand what is being said.

Research has shown that when conversational partners talk with clear speech, the person with hearing loss understands a lot more of what is being said then if they are talking conversationally.  So what is clear speech?

Here's an example of clear versus conversational speech:

• Clear speech:  "Did you eat yet?"
• Conversational speech:  "D'jeet yet?"

Here are examples of people who talk with clear speech:

• Queen Elizabeth
• A newscaster
• An elementary school teacher

The researchers at clEAR Auditory Brain Training have developed a short video to teach people how to speak with clear speech.  You can watch it by going to this YouTube address or by visiting the clEAR website.

Youtube address:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djrc_YsJqkk

clEAR website video address:  https://www.clearworks4ears.com/site/page?page=game_videos

If you are an audiologist, please feel free to share this video with the loved ones of your patients.  If you are a person with hearing loss, whether or not you use a hearing aid, feel free to ask your loved one to watch this video.  When a partner speaks clearly, conversations become more successful and everyone wins.

Ear train the brain:  www.clearworks4ears.com