In 1999 CHHA National developed the following definition of speechreading as part of the Working & Coping with a Hearing Loss project:
“Speechreading is a skill, learned through study and practice, requiring patience, perseverance, and a sense of humour. Speechreading is more than reading lips! It involves interpreting the sounds that you can hear, watching the movement of the lips, jaws and tongue, and the facial expressions and body language. It’s about using every means possible to understand our fellow human beings!”