In the first chapter of A New Grammar Companion for Teachers (the new third edition, updated for 2022 by author Beverly Derewianka), we set the stage for reflecting on, and discussing, grammar. How does grammar function to make meaning with language? What is the functional perspective of grammar, and how might it shape teaching practice?
> Buy the book (Members receive a 35% discount)
In this article from the PETAA Literacy Resources Portal for Early Career Teachers, Dr Bronwyn Parkin and Dr Helen Harper describe an approach to a successful grammar lesson given in the context of a teaching and learning sequence that has been introducing students to a new science topic and concepts.
> The article is excerpted from Teaching with Intent: Scaffolding Academic Language for Marginalised Students, which you can purchase now. (Members receive a 35% discount)
Grammar can sometimes feel like an overwhelming and overly technical topic. How can new and early-career teachers begin to build their grammar instruction skills? In this webinar, a grammar expert shares tips and tricks on the basics of best-practice grammar instruction.
> This is a member-exclusive webinar. Become a PETAA member to gain access to our full webinar series.
In this article from the PETAA Literacy Resources Portal for Early Career Teachers, Joanne Rossbridge and Kathy Rushton provide a summary introduction to the noun group and how it helps develop students' literacy, as well as describing how knowledge of the noun group helps make links between oral and written language.
> The article is excerpted from Conversations about Text 1: teaching grammar using literary texts, which you can purchase now. (Members receive a 35% discount)
In the fourth chapter of Grammar and Meaning by Sally Humphrey, Louise Droga, and Susan Feez, the authors explore the grammatical and language resources which allow us to interact with others to negotiate relationships and to express opinions and attitudes. They set the stage for reflecting on, and discussing, grammar in this context. How does grammar function to make meaning with language? What is the functional perspective of grammar, and how might it shape teaching practice? Find out in this chapter.
> Buy the book (Members receive a 35% discount)
This PETAA Paper is written by Katina Zammit, a passionate educator researching the explicit teaching of grammars of different modes from the written to multimodal. Here, she explores the nature, language and grammar of explanations, with insights for teachers working with explanations or planning a unit of work in a related area.
> Members can read the paper for free. Non-members can purchase a copy of the paper.
In this free short video from the PETAA Literacy Resources Portal for Early Career Teachers, Dr Dr Misty Adoniou delivers an impassioned and inspirational demonstration of how passage-level text analysis in your classroom can provide intentional teaching opportunities for grammatical choice knowledge, sentence structure, improving spoken and written vocabulary and writers' techniques. This is a must-watch video for anyone embarking on close analysis of a literary text.
> This video was filmed at the PETAA annual Leading With Literacy Conference in 2020. Don't miss this year's round of brilliant, thought-provoking speakers. Register your place now.
8— Book bundle: Grammar essentials (a toe in the water)
This package of resources includes the two essential classics: A new grammar companion for teachers by Beverley Derewianka and Grammar and meaning by Humphrey, Droga and Feez. The first text familiarises teachers with the basics of the English grammatical system organised according to meaning is constructed in context, the second assists teachers to engage actively with the material covered in Derewianka's text and to apply their developing knowledge and skill to their teaching practice. Buying the two texts together means substantial savings off the RRP! Postage included (Australia Only).
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This series of short, focused sessions are designed to provide quality PD when and where it is most needed, and has been designed in short grabs that are perfect for staff meetings and planning days. Recorded and available 24/7 for on-demand viewing, you'll receive an introduction to the grammar story, explore authentic uses of grammar, learn how grammar is relevant and useful, explore grammar across different year levels.
> Explore more Focused PD courses for you and your staff.
This PETAA Paper has a focus on the the manner in which one school developed and integrated the teaching of grammar from a functional perspective into existing literacy session routines, using a games-based approach. The paper details how a dialogic approach and a framework of games-based pedagogies can be used effectively in early years classrooms to achieve high levels of student engagement.
> Members can read the paper for free here. Non-members can purchase a copy of the paper.
Primary school literary specialist Brett Healey is devoted to exploring ways that students can use language and grammar to foster engaging and creative narrative writing. In this fantastic webinar, Brett Healey breaks down the language and grammatical choices that help illuminate the popular writing advice exercise: 'make a movie in your mind and write it.' Brett shows language can build a mind movie, and therefore, the tools students need to write a story.
> This is a member-exclusive webinar. Become a PETAA member to gain access to our full webinar series.
This package of resources includes not just the two essential classics in the Essentials bundle (above), but also two other texts, and two practical papers, aimed at equipping classroom teachers with strategies and support for teaching grammar in context. These four books and two papers combine to create a powerful section of any professional resource library: it's your blueprint to teaching grammar and language acros the curriculum. Plus, buying a book bundle means substantial savings off the RRP! Postage included (Australia Only).
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How does understanding of nominalisation and active/passive voice help to engage with the written language? In the seventh chapter of Conversations about text 1: teaching grammar using literary texts by Joanne Rossbridge and Kathy Rushton, the authors discuss these important resources for organising texts. Nomilisation is one of the important difference between spoken and written language and can bring a focus to 'naming' rather than 'doing'; the use of active or passive shifts text emphasis between actors or doers and the action and the doing. This chapter describes how to introduce and explore these concepts in the classroom.
> Buy the book (Members receive a 35% discount)
In this online course, grammar and Literacy expert Dr Rod Campbell prioritises the practicalities of teaching English language and sentence grammar, providing a guide for teachers as they develop the skills of their students within the English and literacy block (and also helping them brush up on their own grammatical knowledge). Participants will explore the syntactic patterns of English, and will come away with content, plans, and activities - all linked to the Australian Curriculum - that can be applied to a classroom setting. We run this course periodically throughout the year (the link above will show you all currently available intakes), and it's a great starting point. See below for what could come after this course on your professional development journey.
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Dr Rod Campbell kicks things up a notch in this online course as he demonstrates that teaching English grammar (or more correctly, teaching students the knowledge and skills for writing English) can be creative, engaging and effective. This interactive and practical session is designed so that participants will have information for at least fice classroom lessons on teaching clauses of different kinds, sentence variety, paragraphing, pronoun reference and other cohesion systems. We run this course periodically throughout the year for maximum convenience.
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