It takes a lot of time and patience to read lips.Everyone, even those with perfect hearing, lip reads.While it is impossible to read lips completely since English has several identical looking sounds, a little practice and awareness can help you pick up most of what people are saying without hearing a thing.
Step 1: You need to pay attention to context and visual cues as much as you do the actual lips.
Most of the sounds in the English language are not noticeable.You can't just tell our words and syllables by lip reading them.At the end of the day, most lip-readers will tell you that it's not actually reading.Straight "reading" is impossible because the words aren't so simple.You will be more successful if you learn to make lipreading a part of your communication.Most people score less than 50% at Better Hearing Australia's annual lip reading competition.Context, context, and guess work are how the few who hit 90% and higher do it.
Step 2: Don't read single words.
It's going to be difficult to pick up every single word.Long words and sentences are easier to read than short ones because they allow you to fill in the blanks through context.By focusing on the whole sentence, you can miss a few words but still understand what was said.
Step 3: To understand tone and mood, check in to facial movements and expressions.
Your eyes and mouth are more open than your voice is.The rest of a person's face offers important contextual clues to determine not only the sentence but how it is said.Tugging at the lips shows worry, fear, or anxiety.People with raised eye brows are more likely to be stressed.The brows and foreheads are furrowed.There is happiness and excitement around the edges of the eyes.It's a good idea to cock the head to the side.If you look down, you can see shyness, nervousness, or an inability to communicate.
Step 4: To learn from non-verbal cues, study body-language and posturing.
This is an impossible task to perfect because you're trying to translate one sense to another.The best lip readers use everything to their advantage, including body language, to gauge mood, tone, and themes of conversation.The list is imperfect, but it covers many of the basics.Open arms are a sign of friendship.Both open and closed legs have similar meanings.The way a person's shoulders and hips point indicates who they are most comfortable with.Leaning towards you means connection and intimacy.Leaning away indicates confusion or uneasiness.Confidence, strength, and dominance are implied by big, expansive posture.A lack of confidence is shown by slothing.Every situation is different, and there is a lot of interpretation involved in body language.You can learn a lot very quickly with lip reading.
Step 5: It's a good idea to know which syllables look similar.
There are 44 sounds in English.The following list of sounds can get tricky, as they have similar mouth shapes when formed, or are frequently confused.The brackets indicate not the letters themselves, but the sound of them.
Step 6: You can use the words you know to figure it out.
You're given an incomplete map and asked to fill in the blanks, but you aren't always going to get it right.Harping on every word and sound is far more effective than this.Many lip readers know they need to take a second to "re-construct" the sentence before responding, allowing them to speak more fluidly and skip over issues.
Step 7: If you are comfortable, ask people to speak a little slower.
Tell your conversation partner that you want them to slow it down a bit.The point of a chat is to actually talk to someone.It will be easier to read and pull context from slower, better enunciated words.
Step 8: Look at TV to see how people's lips move.
Clear speakers who are looking right at the camera will start with the news.You can attach the "sounds" to the lip motions if you have partial hearing.If you are completely blind, use the closed caption to guide your lip reading.
Step 9: Say the alphabet, talk out song lyrics, and then recite something.
The whole time was focused on what your lips look like.Try out sounds like p, b, and m to get used to the combination of word and visual.You help internalize the syllable for future lip reading by saying the words out loud.
Step 10: Ask your friends to help you practice by talking slowly and clearly.
Most conversations don't happen in a television studio.If you want to improve your lipreading skills, start with your friends.Let them know that you're working on lipreading and that they can help by speaking clearly, slowly, and looking straight at you.Ask them to speed up as you get better.
Step 11: Consider taking a class that teaches lipreading.
These are supportive communities to practice in in most cities and towns.Break into conversation groups to get some practice in after you work on difficult tricks.Lipreading classes can be found online to grow and develop your skills.
Step 12: Push yourself to have conversations and be confident with your skills.
Start lipreading in public to learn how to do it.When you find out you're lip reading, very few people will be angry, upset, or otherwise negative.Communication is a two-way street and people will be happy to help you learn and repeat sentences you missed.