Teaching Assistant

Beyond 'Doing Words': Mastering Word Classes for Teaching Assistants

What if your grammar teaching and support moved beyond surface labels and gave pupils genuine insight into how language works? This course deepens your understanding of word classes as functional components within sentence structure, strengthening both your subject knowledge and your explanations. You will explore how words shift class depending on context, refine your professional meta-language and develop strategies to address common misconceptions with precision. By embedding this knowledge into reading and writing instruction, you will effectively support whole-class teaching and enable pupils to make deliberate grammatical choices that enhance meaning, clarity and cohesion.
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Yiotina Achilleos-Dania, Hayley Wallace & Carly Watkins 

2 hours

Online Course

By completing this course, you will:

secure a confident, working understanding of the eight core word classes in the national curriculum and identify them accurately by analysing their grammatical function within a sentence rather than relying on simplistic or purely semantic labels;
recognise and explain how words can shift word class depending on context, and apply this knowledge reliably when analysing or teaching grammar;
develop and use a precise professional meta-language that supports consistent, accurate discussions about grammar with both colleagues and pupils;
explain grammatical concepts clearly and accessibly, using accurate definitions and examples while avoiding misleading generalisations, and apply practical strategies to distinguish commonly confused categories such as determiners, prepositions and adverbs;
support pupils in understanding how grammatical choices influence meaning, clarity and cohesion, enabling them to make more deliberate and effective decisions in their writing.

Course Lessons

Course Lessons

Written by: Yiotina Achilleos-Dania 

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Yiotina has spent more than 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: Hayley Wallace 

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Hayley is a Video Content Creator on the CPD team at Twinkl. She has over 15 years teaching experience as a primary classroom teacher and specialist science teacher in both primary and secondary. She has been a subject lead in science for over 12 years and successfully lead departments of experienced and trainee teachers. As well as completing a PGCE in Primary Education, she has achieved a BSc(Hons) in Molecular and Cellular Biology and a Post Graduate qualification in Forensic Science. Hayley has also held leadership roles in whole-school wellbeing and is passionate about school culture and making education a positive experience for both pupils and staff.

In collaboration with: Carly Watkins

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Carly Watkins has over twenty years of experience as a primary school teacher, including several years as an Assistant Headteacher, with responsibility for whole-school curriculum development and overseeing pupil progress and attainment. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Education Practice and a NPQ in Leading Teacher Development.

Carly has been a mentor for both student and Early Career Teachers and currently facilitates the Early Career Framework for ECTs and their mentors, delivering training at conferences and via online seminars. At Twinkl PD, Carly heads up pedagogical professional development, a role which means she can support educators to develop their personal practice and pedagogy, something she is passionate about, on a national scale.