Enhancing Conversational Fluency

An essential component of audiological rehabilitation involves guiding spouses, family members, and friends to interact with people with hearing impairment in manners that enhance conversational fluency. One aspect consists of teaching frequent conversation partners how to use strategies, such as repair strategies or topic-shifting strategies, or producing speech that is easier to perceive—a mode known as “clear speech”—to promote successful conversational exchanges. This article reviews some of the conversation partner behaviors that can influence message perception and potentially lead to communication breakdowns during conversation. Differences in the acoustic characteristics of speech spoken conversationally versus clearly are described, and the benefit of using clear speech to improve speech perception by individuals with hearing impairment is highlighted. It is advocated that conversation partners use clear speech specifically when conversational difficulties are anticipated or experienced such as when repairing breakdowns, shifting conversation topics, or conversing in challenging environments. It is stressed that providing an intervention session on clear speech, coupled with opportunities for partners to practice clear speech techniques, may be most effective in yielding changes in partners' speaking style. Finally, the nuts and bolts of a clear speech intervention program for frequent conversation partners are provided.