Rocket Sign-Language

Hey there, curious to know, I’m not a deaf person, but have a co-worker who is. Me and some of the guys are going to playing some rec sports after work, I’d like to invite our deaf associate too. What should I be considering in order to make this experience more comfortable for our workmate? I’d appreciate any ideas, as I don’t want to make him feel left out or award. Cheers, Kevin.

Hi, Kevin!

I think it's great that you're including your deaf coworker! Make sure he can see your lips when you're talking. Be sure the others know to do the same. It's very frustrating when someone is talking to me with his/her back turned or says things with his/her mouth covered by a hand.

Definitely prioritize learning the manual alphabet and the numbers. You might be doing a lot of fingerspelling until you get some signs under your belt. If you use a sign he doesn't know or doesn't use a lot, he'll correct you with the local sign. He's not wrong; he's just more used to local signs. If you sign a lot, consider investing in solid colored shirts that contrast with your skin color so as not to tire his eyes by moving your hands across, say, stripes. Also, make sure bright light doesn't obscure your signs or lips.

If you don't already have them, a pad and pencil in the pocket help. So does writing e-mail in lieu of phone calls. Believe me, e-mail and instant messaging are often more convenient than relay. You can open up notepad on the work computer and type to each other for a quick exchange.

Hope this helps!

Melvin

Hi there,
how did you get on? Did you all go out together?