“Eat a banana before you take your medication. Then we'll head to your appointment.”

The listener follows the directions, and we assume they understand every word: before, eat, banana, medication.

But here’s the thing 👇
Sometimes people don’t understand every word — they understand the situation.

The time of day, the apple on the counter, and the meds beside it are all clues that help the message make sense. And people with aphasia are smart! 🧠 They often use these clues to fill in the gaps.

But what happens when:

• The task isn’t routine?
• The context isn’t obvious?
• The order really matters?

Sometimes it’s critical to understand every word. Like:
​“Don't take this medication unless you have eaten.”

💼 Real Life vs. Practice

In everyday conversations, we want to be supportive communication partners. 🤝 That means helping understanding by using:

• Written keywords ✍️
• Gestures and pointing 👋
• Direct names instead of pronouns 👩‍🦳
• Pictures or visual aids 📸

But during therapy or practice activities, the goal is different.

Sometimes we reduce those supports so the person can:

• Listen more closely
• Think through choices
• Check their own understanding

This helps build the skills needed for more independent understanding in real life.

🏋️ Practicing Without Context

One helpful way to build these skills is with structured activities where:

• Context is limited
• Answers are clear
• Feedback is gentle and immediate

That’s the idea behind our Advanced Comprehension Therapy app: thousands of chances to practice precise listening, without real-world consequences.

It includes three activities that work together:

• Identify for understanding sentences
• Build for putting the words in order
• Follow for memory and attention to directions

​Research suggests that improvement is more likely when therapy includes:

• Intensive auditory stimulation
• Structured, systematic activities
• Feedback on accuracy

You'll get all 3 in each part of this app.

​
🚀 Try It Free

​Advanced Comprehension Therapy is available on its own or as part of Advanced Language Therapy 4-in-1. Try it free by downloading Advanced Language Therapy Lite from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

With the right support and regular practice, understanding can improve over time. We know you’re working hard, whether you’re recovering or supporting someone you care about. Keep it up. ♥️

Warmly,
​Megan

P.S. Want a deep dive into understanding? Check out this research summary for clinicians: What SLPs Need to Know: Auditory Comprehension.