The Association of Lipspeakers(ALS) represents lipspeakers as their professional body.
The lipspeaker is a hearing person who silently and accurately repeats the spoken message, reproduces the rhythm and phrasing of the words used by the speaker, and supports their meaning with gesture and facial expression; This practise is known as lipspeaking.
Some lipspeakers have sign language skills and can offer lipspeaking with sign support (sign supported English) if requested by the lipreader.
A lipspeaker may be asked to use their voice, using clear communication techniques, thus enabling the lipreader to benefit from any residual hearing.
If necessary, lipspeakers can relay a deaf person's voice.
Currently there are two levels of qualification; the level of lipspeaker you will require depends on the nature, speed and complexity of the language used. We are happy to guide you if you are unsure.
For assignments that are more than two hours long, it is suggested that two lipspeakers would be required.
