What does speechreading involve?

Speechreading, also known as lipreading, involves understanding communication primarily through the observation of lip movements, facial expressions, and gestures. This skill is especially useful for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, as it allows them to gather visual cues that complement or replace auditory information. By focusing on how the mouth forms different sounds and the facial cues associated with emotional expressions and intonation, a person can gain insight into what is being communicated, even in the absence of clear auditory signals.

The other options presented focus on alternative methods of communication that do not align with the visual-centric approach of speechreading. Sound amplification refers to devices that make sounds louder rather than visual interpretation; sign language is a completely different system of communication that relies on hand signs and gestures tailored for the deaf community; written communication involves text and does not utilize visual cues from conversations. Thus, the nature of speechreading distinctly emphasizes lip movements and gestures as its core elements.