Therapy for sentence processing problems in aphasia: Working on thinking for speaking

Abstract

Background : There is evidence that language production requires specialised conceptual processes, or “thinking for speaking” (Slobin, 1996). These processes generate the pre-verbal message, which according to Levelt (1989, 1999) has propositional structure and perspective and is specifically adapted for the target language. Aims/Main Contribution : This paper presents evidence that thinking for speaking may be impaired in aphasia. Even when not impaired, its complexities may prevent people with aphasia from revealing grammatical competencies. This may explain why therapy often fails to bring about improvements in open speaking conditions, such as narrative, which impose heavy message-level demands. Conclusions : It is argued that, with some individuals, therapy should target thinking for speaking skills. Two therapy studies are reviewed that support this conclusion.