We’ve all seen it happen: someone trying to communicate with a Deaf person suddenly raises their voice or starts dramatically mouthing each word. While this may seem helpful, it’s actually a common myth, and one that can make communication more confusing and uncomfortable than clear.
Service coordinator Kate Kuhn explains, “they think it’s helping, but for most Deaf people, it just makes things harder.”
This myth comes from a misunderstanding, the idea that Deafness is like age-related hearing loss, where volume might make a difference. But Deafness isn’t about “low volume.” For many, sound isn’t accessible at all.
And exaggerating mouth movements? “It actually distorts speech,” Kate says. “If someone uses lip reading, over-enunciation makes it harder, not easier.”
Kate has seen how these attempts, though well-meaning, can make Deaf individuals feel singled out, patronized, or excluded. Instead of building connection, they create barriers.
Lip reading and residual hearing are often misunderstood, only capturing about 30–40% of spoken English, and many sounds like “p,” “b,” and “m” look identical on the lips. Some Deaf people may have partial hearing, but that doesn’t mean speaking louder helps, especially in noisy environments. These misconceptions often leave people nodding politely while missing the meaning, which is not true communication.
So what does work? Kate suggests starting with respect: ask the person’s preferred communication method. Some people may use ASL, others prefer writing, texting, or lip reading. Speaking naturally, using gestures, or even learning a few simple signs can go a long way.
“The point isn’t to get louder,” Kate reminds us. “The point is to connect.”