Cued Speech

communication technique

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Last updated

June 25, 2026

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Cued Speech is a communication method designed to enhance lipreading for individuals who are deaf. It involves using hand shapes and placements, called cues, near the mouth to visually distinguish between similar lip movements. This technique helps clarify sounds that look alike when spoken, such as 'p' and 'b', or 'f' and 'th'. Cued Speech is not a language in itself but rather a supplement to spoken language, making it easier for users to understand spoken words through lipreading combined with these visual cues. It has been adapted for over 40 languages.12

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sign language
Inability to speak
One system, Cued Speech, first developed by the American physicist R. Orin Cornett in 1966, does, however, successfully employ hand signs representing only sounds (not concepts), used in conjunction with lipreading. It has been adapted to more than 40 languages.
Read More
One system, Cued Speech, first developed by the American physicist R. Orin Cornett in 1966, does, however, successfully employ hand signs representing only sounds (not concepts), used in conjunction with lipreading. It has been adapted to more than 40 languages.
Read More