{"id":934,"date":"2022-02-21T14:09:32","date_gmt":"2022-02-21T14:09:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/?page_id=934"},"modified":"2026-05-15T11:54:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T10:54:19","slug":"tadoma","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/information-and-advice\/ways-of-communicating\/tadoma\/","title":{"rendered":"Tadoma"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This page explains a way of lipreading called Tadoma, who uses it and how to learn it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Tadoma?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tadoma is a way to understand what someone is saying by touch. This is why it is also known as \u201ctactile lipreading\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You place your thumb on the speaker\u2019s lips, your three middle fingers along the jawline and your little finger on the throat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You understand what the speaker is saying through motions of the jaw, facial movements and vibrations in the vocal cords in the throat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also tell when the speaker is saying letters such as N<\/strong> and M<\/strong> because the speaker puffs their cheeks and produces warm air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tadoma can be used together with Deafblind Manual<\/a> or block alphabet. You do this by using the Tadoma method with one hand, and your other hand to feel the speaker spell out the same words or letters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Find out more about communication methods<\/a> and read inspiring stories about the people that use them.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

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Who uses Tadoma?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tadoma was invented for people who are deafblind<\/a>. This means you have little or no sight or hearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are losing your hearing, you can use Tadoma to help keep the speech skills you had before becoming deaf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Highly skilled Tadoma users can follow speech at near listening rates, but most Tadoma users are much slower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Before you read on\u2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n