AUT - Graeme Couper

Graeme Couper

Senior lecturer; Programme leader

Phone: +64 9 921 9999 ext 6048

Email: graeme.couper@aut.ac.nz

Qualifications:

• PhD, University of New England, Armidale, NSW
• Master of Applied Linguistics, Macquarie University, NSW
• RSA Diploma (Teaching English for Specific Purposes), Cambridge University, UK
• Introduction to Language Teaching, Instituto Cultural Mexicano Norteamericano, Guadalajara
• BCA (Bachelor of Commerce and Administration), Victoria University, Wellington

Memberships and Affiliations:

• AKTESOL Member
• ALANZ Member

Teaching Areas:

• MPLS:  Contemporary Approaches and Issues
• MPLS:  The Language Learner
• M Phil: Thesis second supervisor

Research areas:

• Teaching and learning second language pronunciation
• Language learning and teaching
• Classroom based research
• Learning processes
• The implications of usage based theories of language, especially Cognitive Grammar, for the teacher
• New migrant issues
• Measuring intelligibility of second language speech

Research Summary:

Graeme completed his Masters thesis investigating how ESOL students fared once they left AUT with a view to better meeting students’ needs in the future. This sparked a particular interest in the teaching of pronunciation. He has just completed his PhD in this area. Using a Cognitive Phonology framework he found that Socially Constructed Metalanguage and Critical Listening were two key variables in successful learning.

Current Research Projects:

• Graeme Couper. The application of Cognitive Phonology in classroom pronunciation teaching.
• Graeme Couper. The development of new materials for the successful learning and teaching of pronunciation
• Basturkmen, H., Couper, G. Denny, H, Healy, J., Macdonald, F. & A, Sachtleben. Using authentic texts in socio-pragmatic instruction.

Publications:

• Couper, G. (2009). Teaching and learning L2 pronunciation: Understanding the effectiveness of Socially Constructed Metalanguage and Critical Listening in terms of a Cognitive Phonology framework. Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of New England, Armidale, NSW.
• Couper, G. (2006). The short and long-term effects of pronunciation instruction. Prospect 21(1), 46-66.
• Couper, G. (2003). The value of an explicit pronunciation syllabus in ESOL teaching. Prospect 18(3), 53-70.
• Couper, G. (2002). ESOL course evaluation through a survey of post-course experiences. TESOLANZ Journal, 10, 36-51.
• Couper, G. (2000). The role of ESOL courses in migrant settlement: A tracer study to analyse learner needs retrospectively. Unpublished Masters, Macquarie University.

Awards:

• 2005 Research Associate with the Centre for Communication Research, AUT.
• 2005 Research Fellowship with the Centre for Communication Research, AUT
• 2005 Resources to Enhance Learning and Teaching Grant, jointly with Annette Sachtleben.
• 2004 Faculty of Arts Learning and Teaching Grant, jointly with Annette Sachtleben.
• 2003 Faculty of Arts Contestable Research Grant
• 2002 School of Languages Research Grant
• 2001 School of languages, Grant for the development of independent learning materials.
• 2000 AUT Innovative Teaching Grant.