Date and Time: 9am - 3pm, Wednesday 5 August 2026

Workshop facilitator: Rachael Hill, Susan Feez (Grammar and Meaning), Katharyn Cullen

Venue: Belmont State School, 1275 Old Cleveland Rd, Carindale QLD 4152

What is the workshop about?

Evidence clearly shows that students’ achievement in reading and writing is strongly influenced by their knowledge and understanding of grammar, spelling, and vocabulary. But how do we teach at the sentence and word level explicitly, effectively, and within a functional model of language? And what knowledge do teachers need to confidently support students? 

This one-day workshop will illustrate the interconnected nature of these key elements of literacy, as outlined in the curriculum, while strengthening teachers’ background knowledge. Participants will leave with a shared language, practical strategies, and greater clarity about how to teach these skills in meaningful contexts. 

• Connecting grammar, spelling (morphology and etymology) and vocabulary within reading, writing and talk. 
• Grammar: 
  • Functional grammar and the role of words in sentences and texts
  • Clarity around curriculum terminology 
  • Embedding grammar in reading and writing 
  • Practical classroom strategies 
• Spelling (Morphology & Etymology): 
  • Essential teacher knowledge
  • Effective teaching strategies
  • Links to reading and writing success
• Vocabulary: 
  • Why vocabulary matters for reading
  • Strategies to build and teach vocabulary 
• Classroom action: 
  • Planning next steps after the professional learning 

Participants in this workshop will have the unique opportunity to:

• Explain the interconnected role of grammar, spelling (morphology and etymology) and vocabulary in supporting students’ reading, writing and oral language development, as articulated in the Australian Curriculum.
• Strengthen their own subject knowledge of sentence- and word-level language, including functional grammar, morphological structure and etymological influences on spelling and meaning.
• Use a shared, curriculum-aligned metalanguage to talk confidently and consistently about grammar, spelling and vocabulary with colleagues and students.
• Embed explicit teaching of grammar within reading and writing, focusing on how words work together in sentences and how sentences work within texts to create meaning.
• Teach spelling explicitly and purposefully, drawing on morphology and etymology to support spelling, reading accuracy and vocabulary growth.
• Understand why vocabulary knowledge is critical for reading comprehension and written expression, and apply practical strategies to build vocabulary through talk, reading and writing.
• Select and implement practical, evidence-informed classroom strategies that integrate sentence- and word-level teaching into meaningful literacy contexts.
• Plan clear next steps for classroom practice, identifying where and how to strengthen the teaching of grammar, spelling and vocabulary within existing programs.

Who should participate?

• Teachers P - 6
• Literacy Leaders and Coordinators
• EAL/D Coordinators
• Principals, Deputy Principals, Assistant Principals, and Stage Leaders 
• Heads of Curriculum

About your workshop facilitators:

Rachael Hill is Head of Professional Learning at PETAA. Rachael has over 35 years experience teaching in primary schools and as a school curriculum leader with a focus on Literacy. With a passion for literature, Rachael was a Teacher Librarian for over 20 years in a number of P-6 primary schools. Most recently, in the role of Senior Advisor – Learning and Pedagogy (Literacy), Rachael worked with a large number of primary schools across the wider Brisbane and outer Brisbane area for Brisbane Catholic Education. 

Susan Feez is a member of the English, Literacies and Languages Education (ELLE) team within the School of Education. She specialises in English language and literacy education and educational lingustics. Susan also has expertise in the field of Montessori education. She is co-author or co-editor of PETAA books Grammar and Meaning (3rd edition), An EAL/D Handbook and The Alphabetic Principle and Beyond.

Katharyn Cullen is an accomplished educational leader, innovator and curriculum specialist who holds a PhD in Using Linguistic Lenses to Improve Classroom Instruction. She is the author of “Using Linguistic Lenses to Journey into Words: A Teacher’s Guide to Phonology, Orthography, Morphology and Etymology,” which is a foundational text for teachers and school leaders seeking to transform word knowledge instruction. As a former Head of Junior School and Head of Campus (ELC- Year 6), her creative, high-energy approach and results-oriented vision have significantly improved staff engagement and student outcomes.

What else do I need to know?:

• Please ensure you bring a digital device/note taking materials.
• Morning tea and lunch will be provided.
• Group Booking: School account holder must email us the names, job titles and email addresses of teachers they wish to enrol. An invoice will then be provided for payment.
• Cancellations without transfer of booking to alternative session received less than five working days before the workshop will incur a $50 cancellation fee per delegate. Cancellations received within 48 hours of the event will not be refunded. For the full list of Terms and Conditions, please visit our page here.
• This workshop will address standards 1.2.2, 1.5.2, 2.1.2, 2.2.2, 2.5.2, 3.2.2, 3.3.2, 3.5.2, 6.2.1, 6.3.1 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.