Teaching Assistant

Grammar with Impact for TAs: Moving Beyond the ‘Tick-Box’ Approach

Have you ever worked with a pupil who can spot a fronted adverbial or underline a modal verb, but then struggles to use those same grammar skills in their own writing? This course is designed to help Teaching Assistants move beyond the 'tick-box' approach to grammar and instead support pupils in using grammar as a set of meaningful choices that shape tone, clarity and impact. Through practical strategies, classroom examples and research-informed guidance, you will learn how to help pupils understand why writers choose particular words and sentence structures, how grammar affects the reader, and how to apply grammar knowledge to improve independent writing. By the end of the course, you will be equipped with the language, prompts and practical approaches needed to help pupils move from simply identifying grammar features to using them deliberately and effectively in their own writing.
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Yiotina Achilleos-Dania, Saleena Sandhu & Carly Watkins

2 hours

Online Course

By completing this course, you will:

develop your ability to teach grammatical terminology through real texts, helping pupils understand how grammar creates tone, emphasis, cohesion and clarity rather than treating it as isolated rules or labels;
support pupils in developing metalinguistic understanding by discussing why writers choose particular grammatical structures and the effect these choices have on the reader;
help pupils see grammar as a repertoire of choices that writers use deliberately to shape meaning, rather than a checklist of features to include;
move pupils away from formulaic, feature-driven writing towards making purposeful and intentional language choices based on audience, purpose and desired effect;
use practical strategies to support pupils in applying grammar knowledge to improve the impact, precision and sophistication of their own writing, moving them from identifying features to using them meaningfully in context.

Course Lessons

Course Lessons

Written by: Yiotina Achilleos-Dania 

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Yiotina has spent over a decade immersed in the world of primary education. Most of her teaching career, she juggled the roles of Science and Maths subject leader, while working across key stage 1 and 2 (mainly based in years 2 and 6). Armed with degrees in Marketing Communications, Business Analysis and Primary Education (plus a National Qualification of Middle Leadership), she’s been at the forefront of introducing new initiatives, reshaping curricula and championing practical, hands-on learning to ensure every pupil thrives.

From training staff to supporting long-term skill progression, Yiotina has always been passionate about helping both pupils and teachers grow. Now, as a Twinkl CPD Content Writer and Editor, she’s swapped the classroom for the creative space of professional development, using her expertise to craft engaging, impactful courses that continue to support educators and learners.

Presented by: Saleena Sandhu

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Saleena is a Video Content Creator on the CPD team at Twinkl. She has over 10 years of experience as a primary school teacher, having taught across the full primary range from EYFS to year 6. Saleena has also supported and mentored trainee and early career teachers.

In collaboration with: Carly Watkins

Carly is the Quality of Education Lead at Twinkl PD, overseeing the development of Teachers' Standards courses. She is an experienced primary school teacher and senior leader with a MA in Education Practice and NPQ in Leading Teacher Development. Carly also facilitates the ECF, delivering training for current mentors and ECTs; she is passionate about accessible and actionable professional development for all educators at all levels.