This course begins with an analogy that looks at writing as a form of restrained music and asks the question, “Which elements of writing play the melody, and which elements of writing play the rhythm?”.

Phil then walks you through the rhythmic elements of writing. Much of the issue with improving student writing is that English teachers tend to focus on the semantic (word) elements of writing and struggle with teaching the syntactic. This course leads teachers to a fuller understanding of the rhythmic, technical aspects of understanding and teaching writing. By the end of the course, teachers will have a full toolkit of approaches that make an immense difference to students’ achievements in literacy.

Each short, intense (and sometimes very funny) lecture helps you identify ways to build your teaching style and learn new techniques. You'll make your teaching more valuable, and you'll know how to improve students’ results.

You have the opportunity to become a specialist in a profoundly useful and important field. You'll learn the foundation that consistently generates more knowledgeable and more engaging teaching that translates into more effective learning for your students.

Also included: in-depth information on the grammatical elements of writing that actually count, polysyndeton, why students need to be able to recognise conjunctive adverbs, on the royal order of adverbs and the rule of the semi colon that almost no one knows.

Throughout the course, you'll have the opportunity to complete exercises – many of which you can print off and use directly with students that will help you forge a path to better knowledge and better teaching. By the end of this course, you will be an expert in both punctuation and its relationship to grammar as well as having a range of approaches to improve spelling. You will be a better writer and a better teacher of both writing and textual analysis at any level. You'll know what you need to do to pave your way towards a more rewarding career.

Whether you're currently teaching literacy or another subject Phil shows you what it takes to be an accomplished teacher.