A common pattern is that a talker will speak louder or slow down for the first part of a conversation, but then revert to their normal way of speaking soon after. This happens because people focus more on what they are saying than how they are saying it.

So, what is the solution? Communication is a two-way street. Both parties have a responsibility. The PWHL (person with hearing loss) can give non-verbal cues to indicate they are having difficulty. The talker can ask the PWHL to signal when they don’t hear or understand something and reassure them of their willingness to accommodate. Maintain loudness and speed throughout your message.

This tendency also affects children with hearing loss. A typical talker will trail off in loudness at the ends of words. That means children with hearing loss may have trouble hearing word endings, like -s or -ed. They may miss plurals, past tense, and possessive markers, all of which happen at the end… o…wor….

Related post: When confirming that a person with hearing loss understands you