Lipreading (speechreading) is a skill that I could not live without. Reading lips lets one understand more. It reduces the need to write. For example, I can have short chats at work.
It does not replace written or visual communication. Even the best lipreaders can miss a good bit because only about 30 percent of speech is visible. Many letters and words look the same on the lips, which can cause misunderstandings. For example, "p(ail), b(ail), and m(ail)" look the same.
Some children are natural lipreaders. Others need to be taught how to lipread. I was a natural lipreader but learned more lipreading skills from a speech therapist.
Learning to Lipread
Resources are available for both adults and children to learn speechreading skills.
- Local organizations or individuals that assist deaf and hard of hearing people may be able to refer you to local sources of lipreading instruction (e.g. an audiologist, the local library, or a speech and hearing center).
- Instructional books:
- "Speechreading: A Way to Improve Understanding," comes with practice exercises ( compare prices).
- "Lipreading Made Easy."
- "Speechreading in Context : A Guide to Practice in Everyday Settings" ( compare prices)
- "Look, Now Hear This : Combined Auditory Training & Speechreading Instruction" , available in softcover and hardcover ( compare prices).
- Videotapes: " I See What You Say" is one video instructional program available.
- CD-ROMs: A hearing impaired woman in Australia developed an instructional course on CD, "Learning to Lipread: An Introductory Course."
- "Baldi" is a virtual instructor developed with support from the National Science Foundation. Baldi is in use at the Tucker-Maxon Oral School in Oregon. Suggestions from the students have been incorporated into an animated language learning CD-Rom product from the Animated Speech Corporation.
In addition, an About visitor recommended the following resources:
1. Lipreading by CD-ROM (1997) Better Hearing Australia (WA) Inc., Australia. http://www.betterhearing.org.au
2. Speechreading Challenges on CD-ROM, A Multimedia Experience in Learning Speechreading Skills (1999) Harris communications, http://www.harriscomm.com/
3. Learn to Lipread: an Introductory course (2000), Allen MJ Dr. Obtainable through website www.lipread.com.au or P.O. Box 412, Marden. SA Australia.
4. An Interactive Computerbased Course in Hearing Tactics (in Scandinavian languages) (2000-2001), Cook & Haneklou, KTH, Stockholm, Sweden.
5. Seeing and Hearing Speech (2001), Sensimetrics, Somerville, USA.
Sensimetrics Corporation
48 Grove St, Suite 305, Somerville MA 02144 USA
Ph: 617-625-0600
Fax: 617-625-6612
Web: www.seeingspeech.com
Email: shs@sens.com
6. Conversation Made Easy" (2002 or 2003), Nancy Tye-Murray at CID St Louis). American Speech Language Hearing Association, http://www.asha.org/
7. "Speechreading Tutor, A Lipreading & Pronunciation Aid", (2003), Speech-Tutor Ltd., UK. Obtainable from www.speech-tutor.co.uk
Speechreading Tips
To make lipreading easier for people with hearing loss, there some things hearing people can do:
- Do not exaggerate speech or talk too loudly. Exaggeration actually makes it harder to lipread.
- If a man has a mustache, either make sure it is thin or remove it entirely. I myself can not lipread a man with a mustache.
- Do use a lot of facial expressions. Visual cues like a facial expression or a gesture can go far in helping a hearing impaired person to make sense out of what they are trying to lipread.
- Stand or sit where there is good lighting. Whenever I go to a restaurant, I have to make sure that I get a table with good light.
However, not everyone with hearing loss can learn to read lips, as some hearing people may think. Many deaf people are not able to learn how to make sense out of "flapping mouths." That is why, when a hearing person meets a deaf or hard of hearing person for the first time, he or she should not assume that the deaf/hoh person can read lips.
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