Download Deaf Communication

Running head: DEAF COMMUNICATION
Deaf Communication:
How Nonverbal Communication Plays an Important Role
Daniel Phillippi
University of Kentucky
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Abstract
The following paper discusses the role of nonverbal communication within the deaf community.
The paper helps explain that there is a difference between sign language and nonverbal
communication. Sign language is a verbal communication and nonverbal. Explained are some of
the different nonverbal communications that a deaf person would use and how important that
nonverbal communication can be. The information also shows how important it is to effectively
communicate with others and how important it is to get a better understanding of the person who
you are communicating with.
Keywords: deaf, nonverbal communication, communication, sign language, homesigns
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Nonverbal Communication in Deaf Communities
For a deaf person, they are at disadvantage with most people because they do not have the ability
to hear. That makes their communication is a little more difficult. Their use of nonverbal
communication becomes really important because they cannot speak the same way most people
do. How a deaf person communicates with others and their use of nonverbal cues can really help
everyone else understand what message they are trying to convey. It is also important for a
person who is not deaf to be able to understand what a deaf person is trying to tell them.
People tend to believe that since deaf people may not speak, they wouldn’t communicate
verbally, therefore, sign language would be considered nonverbal communication. Adler and
Proctor (2013) define nonverbal communication as “messages expressed by nonlinguistic
means” (p.188). Since sign language has a linguistic meaning, it would be considered verbal
communication. Sign language is the language they speak even though it is not coming from
their mouth when they sign.
For deaf children who are not exposed to sign language, they will create their own
homesigns. According to Goldin-Meadow (2007) a homesign is a gesture that “display many of
the properties found in natural language” (p.418). The homesign may have a particular meaning
for people in the child’s family but people outside the family may not understand what exactly
the child is doing. The example used by the author showed the child wanted the author so share a
snack, so the child pointed to a cookie, made a gesture wanting to eat, and then pointed to the
author (Goldin-Meadow, 2007). The author mentioned that the child could used other, more
simple ways to communicate but it shows how a child can form their own way to communicate.
It is considered to be a more natural way to communicate because the child developed their own
way to communicate with others instead of using the traditional sign language method (Goldin-
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Meadow, 2007). The use of sign language and homesigns would be considered verbal
communication because it is their way of communicating with others. Just because they
communicate with certain gestures, the use of nonverbal communication still plays an important
role for deaf people.
Some of the nonverbal ways the deaf people communicate are with gestures, facial
expressions, space, and pantomime. Deaf people are seen as being able to use nonverbal
communication really well because of the gestures they use (Lytle, 1984). They have to adapt to
the situation they are in so they have to use other ways to help get their message across and make
sure that people understand them.
While deaf people verbally communication using sign language and homesigns, they can
still use gestures as nonverbal communication. A basic gesture that most people use is pointing
in a direction. Whenever someone is trying to explain directions, they will point in the direction
to help the other person understand where they are supposed to go (Adler & Proctor, 2013). In
the example about the homesign, the child would point to the person so it was better understood
who the message was being directed to. That is how gestures can be used for deaf people.
Facial expressions can be complicated to understand but it is possible to pick up clues if
someone is carefully watching (Adler & Proctor, 2013). Facial expressions are a way that can
help people understand how a person feels. It can also help show if there is something more than
what is being said. Whenever a deaf person is communicating with someone who can hear, they
have to use facial expressions. If a deaf person is confused, they have to show it. One way they
can do that is by having a confused look on their face. The point would be to show the other
person that they don’t understand the message. When a deaf person uses sign language, facial
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expressions can help tell their message a little better (Lytle, 1984). It helps because it can
reinforce their message.
Another important way someone who is deaf can use nonverbal communication is by
space. It is important for them to know if the person they are communicating with understands
what they are saying. Therefore, a deaf person will typically sit at an angle with whoever they
are communicating with (Lytle, 1984). They have to use their space so they can sign and see the
other person, which is why they do not sit beside the person they are communicating with. The
other person can see them and also see the message that is trying to be communicated.
Another ways a deaf person will nonverbally communicate is pantomime. They tend to
act like a mime and act their message out so the other person can understand what they are
talking about. A deaf person using pantomime has been compared to someone who is in a
foreign country and does not understand the language (Lytle, 1984). Pantomime along with
gestures, facial expressions, and space are just a few of the ways nonverbal communication is
used by someone who is deaf.
It is greatly important for someone who may not be deaf to communicate effectively with
someone who is deaf. An example that shows effective communication is teachers who are
willing to adjust their teaching style in order to properly help deaf students learn (Mayer,
Akamatsu, & Stewart, 2002). For some teachers, they continue to speak because some students
may have a cochlear implant and can hear, but the teacher still has to be prepared to teach the
students in a way they best understand. The teacher may also touch the student on the arm or
hand to help them understand something. With their touch, it helps get their attention and they
use facial expressions in addition to gestures to help a student (Mayer, Akamatsu, & Stewart,
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2002). This helps show how important it is to understand the situation and be able to adapt to
what is going on.
There are also some cases of where communicating with someone who is deaf can go
horribly wrong. For example, a patient who was mute and deaf went to visit their doctor for a
rectal exam. The doctor took his time to get to know and understand the patient in order to build
trust with them. The doctor understood if he did a certain thing, the patient would react in a
certain way. However, a nurse did not take the time to do that and when the rectal exam was
performed, a huge mistake was made. The nurse didn’t understand the patient and felt the patient
was just being difficult so a serious issue arose from that (Cappell, 2009). While that situation is
an extreme case, it’s an example of why it is important to effectively communicate with someone
who is deaf. A small misunderstanding can lead to a big problem.
All of the information provided shows how important it is to use nonverbal
communication with a deaf person. The information helps show that sign language is actually a
verbal communication because it is considered a linguistic was to communicate and nonverbal
communication is all about nonlinguistic means. There are many nonverbal cues that are
considered important such as gestures, facial expressions, space, and pantomime. Those are some
of the ways a deaf person uses nonverbal communication to help people understand what they
are trying to communicate and how they can show people if they are getting the message the
other person is communicating. The examples of how teachers have effectively communicated
with deaf students and the example of how not understanding one’s nonverbal signs can lead to a
major issue. This all contributes to the importance of understanding nonverbal communication
and how it is used.
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References
Adler, R.B., & Proctor II, R.F. (2013). Looking Out, Looking In, (14 ed.). Boston, MA:
Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.
Cappell, M. S. (2009). Universal lessons learned by a gastroenterologist from a deaf and mute
patient: The importance of nonverbal communication and establishing patient rapport and
trust. American Annals of the Deaf, 54(3), 274-276.
Goldin-Meadow, S. (2007). The challenge: Some properties of language can be learned without
linguistic input. Linguistic Review, 24(4), 417-421. doi:10.1515/TLR.2007.016
Lytle, J. S. (1984). Nonverbal communication of the deaf. Association for Communication
Administration Bulletin, (50), 53-56.
Mayer, C., Akamatsu, C., & Stewart, D. (2002). A model for effective practice: Dialogic inquiry
with students who are deaf. Exceptional Children, 68(4), 485-502.