Lipreading Classes by Helen Perry

Lipreading simply means using a speaker's lip patterns to help follow speech. Lipreading classes are intended to teach people with hearing loss how to use lipreading to supplement their residual hearing and to learn communication tactics to help them at work, social situations and everyday life.  

The Classes are currently done virtually on Zoom. 

However if there is enough interest then we can offer classes face to face in Milton Keynes so let us know if you are interested!

These lipreading classes are for adults and there is no upper age limit.  

The classes are aimed at anyone who wants to learn to lipread to support their communication due to hearing loss or anyone who wants to support a person with hearing loss.   If you enjoy learning languages or solving puzzles you are likely to enjoy a lipreading class. 

The free taster session will last 1 hour.  I will teach for about 45 mins then allow 15 mins for questions.  I will open the Zoom meeting about 10 mins before the start of the session to allow everyone to get settled and check all can see the captions etc.  

To join the taster session you will need to join an online Zoom meeting.  The class is interactive, not a lecture, so you will need to join with your camera on and be prepared to ask and answer questions and try out some simple lipreading exercises.  I teach using automated captions, slide sharing and chat as well as voice to help people with hearing loss follow the class.  You don't need to be a Zoom expert - I am happy to explain the basics before we start.   

• Pen and paper 
• A small mirror with you on the day. (The mirror is to check your lip shapes.  If you don't have one you can always use the camera on your phone or use your video picture on Zoom.)  
• I don't recommend joining from a tablet or mobile phone.  You really need to join from a laptop or computer in order to see a big enough picture to lipread and to use the Zoom functions easily.  
• If you are joining with a friend or family member, please join from separate devices. Each person needs a separate video within the Zoom room. 

• It might be difficult for anyone with visual impairments
• Anyone who would struggle using a camera
• It is possible to join with ESOL if you have a sufficient level of spoken and written English. It is harder to lipread with ESOL because you might not understand the cultural references or idioms that provide context to support lipreading. 
• If you have a speech impediment and are not lipreadable, for example due to a health condition or if you are wearing a face covering, you can still join the class but please let us know so we can make adjustments as the automatic captions might not be able to pick up your speech which could be a problem for other learners who rely on the captions.