Using lipspeakers The 2 levels		A lipspeaker is a hearing person who has been professionally trained to be easy to lipread. The lipspeaker makes sure they are clearly visible to the lipreader and silently and accurately repeats the spoken message. The lipspeaker reproduces the rhythm and phrasing of the words used by the speaker, supporting their meaning with gesture and facial expression. If requested, the lipspeaker will fingerspell the initial letters of words that are difficult to lipread. Some lipspeakers have sign language skills and can offer lipspeaking with sign support if requested by the lipreader at the time of booking. 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. Lipspeakers can be booked for workplace, legal, medical and other settings. 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. For assignments that are more than two hours long, it is suggested that two lipspeakers would be required. Using a Lipspeaker Finding a Lipspeaker Booking a Lipspeaker Last updated: 1 February 2008