Breathe Easy Group

February 2012

 

Lipreading Presentation

Hello it’s good to be here to talk to you. can I just mention that I don’t know how loudly I’m talking so if I’m too soft could you let me know and do this and if I’m too loud could you do this? Thanks.

Communication is one of our most important features as human beings. Communication can take many forms including speech, facial expressions touch gestures and other body language. Often you can tell how a person is feeling just by looking at them. If someone is happy they have a bright and bubbly appearance but if they are feeling down their body seems to sag and look sad or miserable.

At the moment my son and his family are living with us for a short while. It is wonderful watching toddlers begin to learn to speak they talk all the time and seem to learn a new word or phrase every second. They talk all the time. I’m enjoying watching this fascinating process.

Speaking to each other is very important to us. We chat about any and everything especially the weather.

Can you recognise these weather phrases?

Isn’t the weather awful today?

It’s a lovely day today

Is it raining today?

When we meet friends in the street we might say

Hello, how are you?

I haven’t seen you for ages

Have you been away?

And then we’ll talk about all kinds of different things. Conversations change their focus quite rapidly. We may start talking about the weather and end up speaking about hospital visits.

Speaking is only part of the process. Listening is very important and we need to listen and look to find out more about what the other person is saying. Those of us, who have a hearing problem, find social conversations very difficult especially when in large groups. It is here that lip reading can be very useful. You know what I mean I hear better when I’ve got my glasses on. This is because I’m lip reading and I think that we all do this naturally.

Those of us who have a hearing problem, need to practice so that we become even better at lip reading.

Some of us are lucky to go to lip reading classes where we can learn how to recognise what the sounds look like when they are being formed on the lips and to practise lip reading. Lip reading is not a magic wand, but it can help to make sense of what we are hearing. Knowing the topic or context of the conversation is very important to help us lip read more accurately.

This is because some of the sounds look very similar on the lips. e.g. pea bee me (without voice) look very similar but if you know the conversation is about a menu or meal then frequently you will see the word pea.

The context is very important in helping lip readers to make sense of what they are hearing and lip reading.

Sometimes those of us with a hearing loss can feel very isolated because we feel left out of the conversations.

It is very useful to have a buddy when you are in a group, someone who can help us to keep track of where the conversations are going and so that we don’t get left behind.

We also use finger spelling to help us to lip read. This is particularly useful for names of things. Here is my name in finger spelling.

When I am with my grandchildren they all the time and also sing. I can’t always hear the words but often I could recognise the tune or rhythm. Rhythm, is very important to lip readers. We can often recognise what is being said just by the rhythm.

Try these:          Run rabbit          twinkle, twinkle          baa baa

I wondered if you’d like to try some lip reading.

I’m going to turn my voice off.

Are you ready          repeat

Hello it’s lovely to see you

How are you

Are you well

Try these they all begin with did you come here by

car          motor bike          train          bus          bicycle          did you walk here

(if time)

Have you been

Shopping          to the park          to the doctors          to school          to work          on holiday

 

I’d like to finish with this game. I’ve got a number of objects in my bag.

Each time I shall say "When I go on holiday I will need..."

And then I will add an object. I’ll show you the object so you can see if you were right! (All objects to do with the seaside and holiday including tiny girl’s swimsuit.)

OK here we go.

 

There I’m all ready now ................................ How did you get on?

Thank you very much for listening to me. There are some handouts/ sheets with useful tips for helping lip readers here. Please take one if you’d like to.

 

 

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