Lipreading Awareness Week 2024 is here (9th-13th September), and it’s time to shine a spotlight on the incredible skill of lipreading and the challenges faced by those who rely on it for communication. Whether you're familiar with the world of lipreading or just curious, join us for a week filled with fun facts, myth-busting, and engaging content.
What is a Lipspeaker?
Imagine a skilled communicator who bridges the gap between spoken words and those who rely on lipreading. That’s where lipspeakers come in. These professionals are trained to accurately convey a speaker’s message using lip movements, facial expressions, gestures, and sometimes even fingerspelling—all without using their voice.
They ensure that lipreaders can follow conversations in various settings, from interviews and educational environments to medical consultations and theatrical performances.
Some lipspeakers also possess proficiency in sign language, enhancing their ability to facilitate communication for a broader range of individuals, including those in legal or political settings.
Who Uses Lipspeakers?
Lipspeakers primarily assist deaf, deafened and hard of hearing individuals who have developed strong English skills and rely on lipreading as their primary mode of communication. They may also be utilised by hearing individuals seeking to communicate effectively with the deaf community.
Lipreading Challenges
Lipreading is indeed a remarkable skill, but it comes with its own set of challenges:
1. Background Noise: Busy environments like restaurants or streets can obscure the visual cues necessary for effective lipreading.
2. Whispered Speech: Whispering doesn’t provide the clear lip movements needed for lipreaders to understand.
3. Fast Speech: Quick lip movements during rapid speech can be difficult to track and decipher.
4. Accents and Pronunciation: Variations in speech patterns can pose challenges as they may not align with lipreaders’ expectations.
5. Invisible Sounds: Not all speech sounds are visible on the lips, leading to potential misunderstandings.
Lipreading Awareness Week Activities
Throughout this week, join us and Lipspeaker UK in debunking myths about lipreading, exploring its fascinating intricacies, and raising awareness about the challenges faced by the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
We invite you to participate in our lipreading quiz, discover more about this invaluable skill, and share your experiences with us using the hashtag #ReadMyLips.
Follow @deafumbrella and @lipspeakeruk on social media for daily updates, stories, and insights.
Take the Lipreading Challenge!
This Lipreading Awareness Week, we’re teaming up with Lipspeaker UK to bring you an exciting Lipreading Challenge.
Watch the videos below, test your skills, and see how much you can understand by reading lips alone. These challenges are a fun way to appreciate the art of lipreading—and maybe even learn something new! (answers at the end of this article)
Silent Letters (see how written language doesn't always match lip patterns):
Health and Wellbeing:
Emergency Situations:
Words with minimal lip movement (see how some common expressions can be nearly impossible to lipread):
Homophenes (many words that look similar on the lips, making context crucial):
How did you do? Share your results!
We want to hear from you! How many phrases did you get right? What was the toughest part?
Share your results in the comments or on social media using the hashtag #LipreadingChallenge or #ReadMyLips. Don’t forget to tag @lipspeakeruk so we can see how you did!
Feeling competitive? Challenge your friends and family to take the test too. Let’s see who the real lipreading champion is!
Get Involved
Whether you're a lipreader, know someone who is, or simply want to learn more, Lipreading Awareness Week 2024 is your opportunity to engage and educate.
Stay tuned for updates, and don’t forget to read our blog post on how to communicate effectively with people who rely on lipreading HERE.
Looking for lipreading classes?: https://atlalipreading.org.uk/
Answers:
Silent letters:
Knight (silent 'k' and 'gh')
Pneumonia (silent 'p')
Wednesday (silent 'd')
Island (silent 's')
Debt (silent 'b')
Health and Wellbeing
Pain
Doctor
Sick
Medicine
Healthy
Emergency Situations
Help
Stop
Call
Fire
Danger
Words with minimal lip movement:
Hum
Uh-huh
Mmm
Yeah
Okay
Homophenes:
Pat (could be confused with "bat", "mat", or "fat")
Merry (could be confused with "berry" or "very")
Pear (could be confused with "bear" or "mare")
Sheep (could be confused with "cheap" or "jeep")
Moth (could be confused with "both" or "moss")
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