A Conceptual Approach to Teaching Pronunciation : Insights from Theory and Practice

A Conceptual Approach to Teaching Pronunciation reveals the secret to pronunciation learning and teaching: understanding how speakers from other cultures and languages think, interpret, and extract meaning from sounds. Drawing on a career-long journey as a pronunciation teacher and researcher, Graeme Couper presents a conceptual approach as a basis for demonstrating what Cognitive Linguistic theory means in practical terms. This book presents the insights gained in the author's journey and engages readers in that journey, asking them to reflect on their own pronunciation learning and teaching experiences. Along the way, it explores the role of concepts and categories in interpreting the world around us, the conceptual nature of pronunciation, and the difference between phonological concepts and acoustic reality. Quantitative and qualitative evidence drawn from the author's research career demonstrates that a conceptual approach is effective. His detailed explanations of instruction and methodology allow for replication, making the book valuable for researchers, while anecdotes from Couper's teaching career ensure relatability, making this an essential resource for language educators at all levels.