Lipreading classes

Lipreading classes are often known as ‘Managing Hearing Loss’ or ‘Speech Reading’ classes.

Smiling man sat in a chair turning around to look at the camera with other people sat talking in the background

They are run in the community by trained tutors from the Association of Teachers of Lipreading to Adults (ATLA) or in colleges, community centres and higher learning institutions. 

They are usually held in-person in community venues however, in recent years, more classes have become available online via video calls.

To find a lipreading class near you, you can:

How many people usually attend a class?

The number of people taking part in a lipreading class varies. You can expect that most classes have no more than ten people. Since a key element of successful lipreading includes being close to the person speaking, and seeing their face in a good light, numbers are kept to manageable levels.

Do family members also attend classes?

Lipreading tutors will always encourage partners and spouses to attend classes, so they understand lipreading skills and techniques too.

Practice your lipreading skills

Try out lipreading exercises through resources, useful videos and information.

Visit Lipreading Practice

What happens during a class?

There is no national curriculum for the teaching of lipreading. Most classes last for up to two hours (with a break for tea/coffee) and take place in an empathetic, relaxed environment.

During a class you can expect to cover the following topics:

Lip patterns

You can expect to study specific phonetic lip patterns (e.g. p b m), before moving onto almost any subject that incorporates the use of words and phrases that use those lip patterns. You will practise seeing normal speech while recognising lip shapes and patterns. This is important because you can learn how to distinguish sounds that look alike, such as pat bat mat.

Techniques

It is important to learn techniques that can help to make lipreading more effective. Context helps you to lipread because you can anticipate and interpret more easily and accurately. Knowing the topic of conversation also makes it easier to lipread homophenes (words that look similar).

Speed recognition

Learning common phrases can help you to lipread better. A class will help you to practice common phrases and questions you might come across in different situations. For example, the doctors, shopping, or job interviews. Learning to recognise in a class will help manage stressful situations.

Practising

In lipreading classes there will be conversation in pairs or small groups in addition to whole group work. You will have role play sessions, where you can practise being in specified situations and use relevant language.

Communication strategies

Classes are also about finding strategies that enable you to lipread more effectively i.e. the environment (the best place to sit or to be in any situation), and your position (the best place to lipread, directly from the front or from a profile view). You will also learn how to manage our hearing loss in a hearing world and build self-confidence.

People who understand

One of the most important aspects of the lipreading class is that you will be in a group of people who understand hearing loss. You will make friends, swap ideas and strategies, and have conversations in a safe environment. This fellowship is so important.

 

What are the benefits of attending a lipreading class?

Lipreading classes offer much more than just learning to read lips - they provide a supportive space to share experiences, build confidence, and develop effective communication strategies.

In these groups, participants learn to listen and observe more effectively, noticing all the clues needed to understand conversations. The exchange of tips, techniques, and even opinions on helpful technology can be invaluable, and having the opportunity to try out strategies in a sympathetic environment is both encouraging and practical.

These sessions often lead to genuine friendships and a renewed sense of confidence, reducing feelings of social isolation.

Participants find such value in the experience that they continue to join support groups, where the sense of community and shared understanding remains just as strong.