Cued Speech
Cued speech is a strategy used for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have language/communication disorders. It is a visual communication system that uses handshapes and specific placements near the face to represent certain sounds while speaking. According to Hallahan, Kaufmann, & Pullen, 2015, “Eight handshapes are cues for certain consonant phonemes, and four serve as cues for vowel phonemes” (Hallahan, Kaufmann, & Pullen pg. 278-279). The handshape and the location near the mouth work together to cue a syllable.
Cued speech helps whoever is reading the speech to differentiate the sounds that look similar on the lips. Cued speech has been adapted to many different languages and dialects.
Cued speech can be implemented across any content areas. This is a general strategy that is used for students who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have other language/communication disorders. It does take time to learn cued speech but as seen in the video below, the students love communicating with their deaf classmate by the use of cued speech.
Cued speech helps whoever is reading the speech to differentiate the sounds that look similar on the lips. Cued speech has been adapted to many different languages and dialects.
Cued speech can be implemented across any content areas. This is a general strategy that is used for students who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have other language/communication disorders. It does take time to learn cued speech but as seen in the video below, the students love communicating with their deaf classmate by the use of cued speech.
What research and experience say about cued speech
Hearing
Cued speech assists in processing auditory information by breaking through the confusion of incomplete and distorted sound. If people continue to use cued speech, it can lead to significant improvement in speech perception. Cued speech can also help support speech and articulation skills. It does this by putting attention on the mouth, reinforcing patterns of phonemes within a word/phrase, helps identify speech sounds and the syllables that are being targeted, and integrates sound, sight, and motor aspects to make learning more engaging. (“What is Cued Speech,” 2008, Retrieved from http://www.cuedspeech.com/what_is_cued_speech.asp)
Language
If students do not have any other disabilities, children who are deaf that have four+ years that they consistently use cued speech, master the syntax and the grammar of spoken language. These children can also reach full language and literacy potential with the support of family members and other educators who keep communicating with cued speech. (“What is Cued Speech,” 2008, Retrieved from http://www.cuedspeech.com/what_is_cued_speech.asp)
Reading
Cued speech cues every phoneme, gives attention on phonemes and syllables of language, gives visual admission to rhyming, and if used consistently and effectively, these children that use cued speech develop the language base that allows them to read at the same level. It also allows the use of comparable strategies used for reading just like hearing children. (“What is Cued Speech,” 2008, Retrieved from http://www.cuedspeech.com/what_is_cued_speech.asp)