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Abstract This review examines the role of auditory training on speech adaptation for cochlear implant users. A current limitation of the existing evidence base is the failure to adequately account for wide variability in speech perception outcomes following implantation. While many preimplantation factors contribute to the variance observed in outcomes, formal auditory training has been proposed as a way to maximize speech comprehension benefits for cochlear implant users. We adopt an interdisciplinary perspective and focus on integrating the clinical rehabilitation literature with basic research examining perceptual learning of speech. We review findings on the role of auditory training for improving perception of degraded speech signals in normal hearing listeners, with emphasis on how lexically oriented training paradigms may facilitate speech comprehension when the acoustic input is diminished. We conclude with recommendations for future research that could foster translation of principles of speech learning in normal hearing listeners to aural rehabilitation protocols for cochlear implant patients.