It’s Lipreading Awareness Week (9-13 September)! We all lip read and watch a person’s facial expressions in conversation without realising it, but it’s an especially vital skill for many people who are deaf or have hearing loss.
How does lipreading work?
Contrary to how lipreading is portrayed in movies and TV shows, where characters often lipread with amazing precision, in real life it’s much more challenging.
Lipreading involves recognising the lip shapes, gestures, and facial movements of a person when they are speaking, but many words can look similar on the lips – like ‘biscuits’ and ‘big kiss’. Context is key, and like any skill, lipreading can be improved with practice.
‘It does matter’
18 million people in the UK are deaf or have hearing loss, and nearly two thirds (62%) of our those we surveyed said they would feel more comfortable communicating with the public if more people were aware of how best to communicate with them.
Over half (55%) said that if they were struggling to understand someone when having a conversation, they would want people to make sure they could see their lips. So, what can you do to help someone who is lipreading?
9 tips to help people who lipread
1. Face the person
Get the person’s attention before you start speaking and always directly face them. Lip reading relies heavily on visual cues; if you turn away, or talk from another room, they won’t be able to lipread you.
2. Make sure the lighting is good
Good lighting is crucial for lip reading. Make sure your face is well-lit, avoiding shadows and backlighting. If you’re outside, position yourself so that the light is on your face.
3. Speak clearly and naturally
Speak clearly and at a normal pace. You don’t need to exaggerate your lip movements or shout, as this can distort your speech and make lip reading more difficult.
4. Rephrase instead of repeating
If the person didn’t catch what you said, try rephrasing the sentence instead of repeating it. Different word choices and sentence structures might be easier to lip read.
5. Be patient and understanding
Give the person time to process what you’re saying. Be patient if they ask you to repeat yourself or clarify something.
6. Don’t cover your mouth
Lip readers need to see your mouth to follow the conversation. Avoid covering your mouth with your hands, a microphone if you’re speaking online, or anything else while speaking.
7. Minimise background noise
Background noise can be distracting and makes it harder for a lip reader to focus. If possible, move to a quieter area or reduce noise levels when having a conversation.
8. Check for understanding
It can be helpful to check that the person has understood. You can ask questions like, “Did that make sense?” or “Would you like me to go over anything again?”
9. Ask how you can help
Everyone’s needs are different, so don’t hesitate to ask the person what works best for them. They might have specific preferences or strategies that can make communication smoother.
“People I spend a lot of time with don’t always seem to remember that I have hearing loss. They talk to me from another room or don’t speak clearly or face me. It’s very frustrating, especially when it’s my spouse! I think it’s hard for them because I can still hear a bit, so can have some conversations without my hearing aids – but these only work for me if I can lip read and I don’t think everyone realises that I’m doing that.”
‘It does matter’
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