Effective communication
is about respect, empathy, and understanding. Here are key principles and tools
to support clear and inclusive communication across all walks of life:
Core
Principles
1.
Talk
directly to the person, not their support worker or carer.
2.
Treat
them as equals – as a person first, not just their condition.
3.
Make
and maintain eye contact, if culturally and personally appropriate.
4.
Understand
their wants and needs – don’t assume.
5.
Involve
them in decisions – show that you are there for them.
6.
Use
their first language or preferred method of communication.
7.
Check
for understanding – ask: “Have I understood you correctly?”
8.
Break
down information if needed – ask them how they prefer it.
9.
Use
gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice to support meaning.
10.
Be
patient and flexible – allow time for expression and responses.
11.
Ask
permission to provide communication support (e.g. interpreters).
12.
Never
assume how someone wants to receive information – always ask.
13.
Offer
information in accessible formats:
o
Easy
Read
o
Clear
writing
o
Large
print
o
Colour-coded
or pictorial formats
o
Braille
o
Audio
o
Sign
language
14.
Empower,
don’t overpower – support their independence.
Respectful
Communication Behaviour
- Use statements like “I” and “you”:
- “You’ve done well. That must have been hard.”
- “This was unfair. You should not have had to go through that.”
- Show empathy, not sympathy.
- Be compassionate and mindful of non-verbal cues – body language,
facial expression, tone.
- Let them do most of the talking.
- Ask if it’s okay to raise your hand to speak, or offer
alternatives (e.g., email).
- Think about how they feel, not how you would feel – they may
respond differently and that’s okay.
- Support their choices – even if you don’t agree. Your role is to
provide information and support, not control.
- Offer feedback and options at the end of a session, not judgment.
Tools
and Technology for Communication
- Teletypewriters (TTYs)
- Video Remote Interpreting (VRI)
- Text, email, or visual aids when speaking is difficult
- Hospital Communication Books
- Talking Mats
- Communication Passports
- Picture Communication Tools
- Key Word Signs
- Speak Books / Speaking Machines
- Makaton / Sign Language / Sing Along with Autism
- Symbol-based tools (e.g. Widgit, Clear For All)
- Accessible Information Standards
- Easy Read / No jargon / Clear written or audio formats
Encouraging
Two-Way Understanding
- Ask open questions like: “How do you feel now?”
- Paraphrase to confirm understanding: “Let me read back what I
heard. Is that right?”
- If something is incorrect, ask how to improve or clarify.
- Explain likely outcomes of their choices without judgment:
“If you decide to proceed with this, here’s what might happen…”
Final Thoughts
·
Focus on strengths
more than limitations.
·
Suggest, give options, don’t
dictate.
·
Always seek
consent before acting or sharing.
·
Respect how a
person chooses to communicate.
·
Support
them.
·
Do not speak over the person.
·
Empower, don’t
take control.
·
If
you need to say something important raise your hand.
No comments:
Post a Comment