Auditory Processing Exercises

Auditory processing is a complex cognitive process. Sound comes in through our ears, bounces off of our eardrums, and is relayed through nerve signals to our brain. These signals come in the forms of pitch and amplitude which activate our cerebellum. When these sounds are spoken word, these signals get relayed to our language network where sentences and words are extracted for meaning and processed in order for us to respond to.

People may have difficulty with auditory processing due to brain damage from a stroke or fall, aging, or from experiencing a psychiatric condition. Providing cognitive rehabilitation therapy that focuses on skills such as distinguishing relevant from irrelevant sounds, differentiating sounds from one another, and remembering what different people sound like may help your client process and remember auditory information for current and later use better.

Try these exercises with your clients to help them learn strategies for interacting with, processing, and remembering auditory information. When using these exercises, please ensure that your client allows their speakers on their device to be active as well as turn on the volume to an appropriate setting that is safely audible for your client.