The major objective of auditory training in the treatment of a client with a hearing loss is to

• A. Discriminations among speech sounds
• B. Improve the client's awareness of position and movements of the speech mechanism
• C. Improve kinesthetic and auditory awareness
• D. Increase kinesthetic and proprioceptive discrimination

Answer: (A)

Auditory training aims to sharpen the ear’s ability to tell apart speech sounds. The core goal is to improve discrimination of phonemes—the distinct sound units that change meaning in language. Through targeted practice, a listener learns to detect and interpret cues such as voicing, timing, and place of articulation, which helps differentiate similar sounds like /b/ vs /p/ or /s/ vs /ʃ/. This perceptual sharpening translates into clearer understanding of spoken language, especially in less-than-ideal listening environments, and enhances overall communication.

Other choices mix in motor or kinesthetic aspects that aren’t the primary focus of auditory training. Training about the position and movements of the speech mechanism or broader kinesthetic awareness targets articulatory or body-based cues rather than improving the perceptual distinction of sounds itself.