Lip-reading helps to “listen” to a particular speaker by observing and looking at the speaker’s lips and face. This allows the lip-reader to find out the speech pattern, gesture, and expression, enabling them to crack each word the speaker is saying. 

To learn and understand lip-reading, you need to develop and practice particular skills which can make the entire lip-reading process very easy and effective. 

So, in this article, I’ll tell you all the ways, facts, and skills you can apply to know and learn lip-reading effectively. 

How to Do Lip-Reading?

In this section of the article, I’ll tell you all the ways you can learn to do lip-reading more effectively and efficiently. 

So, do read the entire section without skipping any of the points. 

Know Your Context

Whenever you are trying to lip-read, you must know the context you are carrying the conversation for. This will give you a better understanding of what you should be reading and saying. 

Initially, you might feel awkward, but that shouldn’t bother you. If necessary, ask the person directly what topic they are talking about. This will help you carry the conversation for a long time and make you feel comfortable talking. 

It’s Alright to Clarify

Whenever you feel confused with a particular sentence or word, don’t hesitate to ask the person to repeat it. 

It’s better to clarify rather than just assume something. At first, you might feel uncomfortable asking, but it’ll help you get yourself more engaged with the conversation if you get explained. 

Notice the Pattern and the Shape of the Lip-Movement

When you are communicating with someone, do make sure that you notice the pattern and lip movement of the person you are speaking to. 

The visual of the lip’s movement will help you to anticipate what sort of words they are using. But it’s not something you just do like that!

In order to know all the ins and outs of these techniques, you need a lot of practice. One of the ways you can practice is by watching videos and trying to follow the lips’ shape and pattern. 

Anticipate the Next Word

It’s essential that you communicate with a person; you need to develop the ability to anticipate the next word. 

This “anticipating the next word” will help you to decipher what he’ll be telling you next. 

For instance, “I” will always be followed by some sort of verb– “I had,” “I went,” “I think.” So, if you lip-read someone, “I sad,” you’ll automatically know there will be an “am.” This will make your entire conversation a lot easier.

Do Non-Verbal Communication

We often communicate with people through body language and gestures. Sometimes, it’s more like a reflex, so we don’t say that we sometimes use nonverbal communication as a means of communication. 

At first, this method of communication might feel a bit challenging, but as you get along with it, it can indeed be a great help especially when you are communicating with a person. 

For instance, there are things that you need to deduce to understand non-verbal communication. See clues like:

• If someone is stretching their hands and arms, it can indeed be a sign of tiredness, pain, or even boredom.

• The hand gestures can even help to demonstrate how someone might be feeling.

• Sometimes facial expressions speak louder than words. The table below will give you some ideas.

Interesting Facts & Skills for Lip-Reading 

To learn lip-reading, there are a few skills you need to know and practice before you start with your lip-reading. 

Usually, people lip-read when they face trouble in hearing. For instance, those who have severe hearing loss or deafness and don’t have proper hearing aids to aid them need this lip-reading technique to help communicate with people. 

But before you just go lip-reading, there are several skills that you need to know first:

• Use your vision to assist you with listening.

• Use your senses and knowledge to understand the gestures and behaviors of the person you are communicating with. 

• It might be challenging to understand a single short word, but you’ll find it comparatively easy to grab long and whole sentences. 

Interesting facts

There are a few interesting facts that you should know:

• You will find lip-reading comparatively easy when you are in a quiet place with not too many people and distractions. 

• You’ll indeed find such people who mumble a lot while speaking, and this might be a challenge for you to read them. On the other hand, some people are evident with words and expressions. So, you’ll find them relatively easy to read.

• If you want to do good lip-reading, you surely need to have excellent eyesight.

• In order to do effective lip-reading, you surely need clear light as it would be impossible to lip-read someone in the dark. 

• Lip-reading becomes super easy when the person you are communicating with is using your first language. 

Lip reading can indeed be beneficial for many people. And these exciting facts can surely help you to lip-read. 

Bottom Line

There’s no need to feel awkward during lip-reading. And most importantly, don’t think of yourself as “not fitting into” kind of a person. We all have our ways of communicating with people, and it’s outstanding. 

Especially when you are communicating via lip-reading, no need to come out of your comfort zone, stay casual and continue your communication. 

Moreover, there’s no need to hesitate in asking someone to repeat something or to talk slowly. Be confident and stay natural. Furthermore, various online courses help to teach lip-reading. So, if you want, you can indeed remain enrolled in one!

I hope this article will help you to know how to lip-read someone!