Teaching Assistant

SPaG Essentials for Teaching Assistants: The Core Knowledge Every TA Needs

Do you want to improve your confidence in supporting pupils with spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG)?

This practical SPaG training course gives teaching assistants the knowledge and strategies needed to model Standard British English, strengthen pupils’ sentence skills and support accurate spelling across the primary curriculum. Explore effective approaches for talk‑based learning, morphology, scaffolding, SPaG fluency and targeted support for pupils with SEND and EAL learners. This course helps you build secure subject knowledge and deliver high‑quality, consistent SPaG support that improves outcomes for all pupils.
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Adam Barrett,
Saleena Sandhu
&
Carly Watkins

2 hours

Online Course

By completing this course, you will:

secure a strong working knowledge of the key SPaG terminology used across the primary curriculum, from word classes to sentence types and punctuation marks; 
understand how SPaG concepts build progressively from KS1 to KS2 so they can support pupils at the right level;
recognise common misconceptions pupils hold about grammar, punctuation and spelling, and know how to address them sensitively;
use clear, accurate explanations that avoid misleading shortcuts (e.g. “verbs are doing words”) while still being accessible for pupils;
apply practical strategies for modelling, questioning and scaffolding SPaG concepts during whole‑class teaching and interventions.

Course Lessons

Written by Adam Barrett

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Adam Barrett is an experienced teacher, academic and SENDCo. He has previously specialised in behaviour management, leading and reforming approaches to behaviour management in primary schools with the aim of creating inclusive environments for all. As well as a PGCE, Adam has an undergraduate degree in history and a MA in English literature.

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

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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.