These are basic strategies to adopt when talking to someone with hearing impairment, wherever you may be. Indeed anyone who is anxious, distracted or nervous misses a lot of what is being said to them so adopting the same strategies can be helpful.

Importantly, don’t be afraid to ask if someone can hear or ask what would help them.

• Try to minimise extraneous noise when talking; to move to a quieter area if possible.
• Try to pay attention to the noise level; if for example a party of students are passing by, pause for a minute.
• Say the person's name before beginning a conversation. This gives the listener a chance to focus attention and reduces the chance of missing words at the beginning of the conversation.
• Wait until the person you're talking to looks at you or otherwise indicates that they are ready to listen. This is even more important in a group situation.
• If you change the subject, make sure to do so explicitly. If the subject is changed, tell the hearing impaired person what you are talking about now.
• In a group setting, repeat questions or key facts before continuing with the discussion.
• Face the hearing impaired person directly, on the same level and in good light whenever possible. Position yourself so that the light is shining on the speaker's face, not in the eyes of the listener. It is not even a matter of lip-reading, although many hearing-impaired people do get some benefit from reading lips; more important is the fact that facing away from a person muddies the sounds and makes them less distinct.
• Some hearing-impaired people have a preferred ear. Sitting on that person's "bad" side is almost as bad as not facing them. If you see someone constantly swivelling her head, you might want to ask if there is a preferred ear.
• Keep your hands away from your face while talking. If you are eating, chewing, resting your hand on your chin, etc. while talking, your speech will be more difficult to understand.
• Take turns speaking and avoid interrupting.
• Speak clearly, slowly, distinctly, but naturally, without shouting or exaggerating mouth movements. (Project your voice, don’t shout). Enunciate all the syllables of each word and don't runthewordsalltogether -- it's just as hard to hear as it is to read! Note: "speaking slowly" is not the same thing as drawing out each word. Make sure that you pronounce each word normally.
• If the hearing impaired person has difficulty understanding a particular phrase or word, try to find a different way of saying the same thing, rather than repeating the original words over and over. Pay attention to the listener.
• A puzzled look may indicate misunderstanding.
• If you are giving specific information such as time, place or phone numbers to someone who is hearing impaired, have them repeat the specifics back to you. Many numbers and words sound alike. You would probably do this anyway, whether someone was hearing impaired or not.
• Whenever possible, provide pertinent information in writing, such as appointment times.