concepts, comcepts, whatever

em cracked me up today and didn't know why. just some of that grown-up humor she doesn't think is funny. (she says that often).
em does not get concepts. she can do math easy peasy, but put the exact same problem in a word problem and whoa. forget it and be ready for tears. she'll read the entire problem and just say but what does that mean? and yes, it's the lack of ability to access her frontal cortex during that fear, we all know that right? (but shew does it get old)
but the not getting concepts thing applies to other areas too. things like oh, you didn't say don't put a wet towel on the floor, you just said wet washcloth, so i thought the towel would be fine. the laundry basket's moved a foot to the right, so now where do i put my dirty clothes?
my worst habit (and i know this is bad, which is why i'm saying you shouldn't do it) is saying, em, you have to USE that brain in your head. (i know, shut up). but it's so hard when she just won't learn to think. (i know, shut up again).
so anyway, we try to point out concepts in other areas hoping one day she'll connect the ideas. who knows, but she's aware of the idea of them and that she's not good at them.

(wow, long set-up, sorry!)

well today, i asked a question about the book (they have to answer with complete sentences) and she (as usual) spit back my question to start her sentence. i told her she doesn't have to repeat the whole question, just start a sentence about the answer.
after much confusion i just said oh, it's a concept and you don't understand do you?
she said no, i don't understand comcepts.
i said comcepts? it's concepts with an "n"!
she said see? i can't get concepts, i can't even SPELL concepts!

okay, it might not be funny to anyone else, but it cracked me up!
now, if you have any (real life practical tried) suggestions on teaching concepts, i'm all ears!