As a teacher, writer or other wordy creative, do you know everything you need to know about grammar?
This is a trick question. The answer is ‘yes’.
Refreshing Grammar is a six-week course designed to help you access your ‘linguistic intuition’, which is what you already know about grammar without knowing how you know it.
Learn step-by-step ways of accessing your intuitions about grammar
Test your knowledge with quizzes
Spark your creativity with writing prompts
Discover the creative ways writers have played with grammatical structure in works of literature
Course content
The course comprises over three and a half hours of video instruction, including exercises, writing prompts and downloadable slides. All material is available immediately, and you can take it in at your own pace.
Welcome to Refreshing Grammar
This introduction explains what to expect from the course. The intention in Refreshing Grammar is to step away from the ‘red pen’ approach to grammar and instead to see grammar as a set of art supplies. We’re trying to create a creative, art classroom environment. Easy-going. Messy. Fun.
Video length: 18 minutes
Unit one: What a three-year-old taught me about grammar
Toddlers really know their way around a clause.
In unit one I share the key principles of my innovative approach to having fun with grammar, which includes:
Starting with clauses, not words
Accessing ‘linguistic intuition’
Tapping into your inner three-year-old’s expansive knowledge about the structure of language
Video length: 25 minutes
Unit two: Stick to the subject
Unit two is where it all happens! I’ll be sharing my favourite way to access your linguistic intuition, with something called the ‘question-tag probe’.
We’ll discuss:
How analysing subjects and verbs in clauses will help your writing
How to use the question-tag probe to find the subject of a clause
Check your knowledge with a quiz and a writing prompt.
Video length: 30 minutes
Unit three: Verb vibes
In unit three we’ll tackle verbs, and delight in how easy it can be to find the finite verb in a clause. We’ll discuss:
How confusing verbs can be
How using your linguistic intuition can make verbs less confusing
How to use the question-tag probe to find the finite verb in a clause
Check your knowledge with homework and a quiz.
Video length: 28 minutes
Unit four: Non-finite resources
New creative strategies, brought to you by grammar.
If you’re new to finite and non-finite verbs (or find the distinction between them confusing), this is the unit for you.
We’ll discuss:
The homework from unit three
The difference between finite and non-finite verbs
How to use the question-tag probe to distinguish finite from non-finite verbs
How non-finite clauses can be used creatively in your writing
Check your knowledge with a writing prompt and a quiz.
Video length: 34 minutes
Unit five: Grammar for dreamers
In unit five I share an idea I love to play with—that grammar can give us new ways of looking at the world.
We’ll discuss:
What grammar has to do with dreaming
What grammar has to do with giving birth to new ideas
What grammar has to do with dreaming up a more welcoming world
Video length: 24 minutes
Unit six: Q & A
A recording of a live Q&A session in which we discuss:
How a clause-based approach can help identify and label phrase types (noun phrases, verb phrases, adjective phrases, adverb phrases and prepositional phrases)
How to use the ‘who/what’ probe to find the complement in a clause
How to find the adjunct in a clause
How to empower students to spot when they’re unintentionally using non-finite clauses
How to distinguish between main clauses and embedded clauses
This unit comes with a couple of handy cheat sheets to help with identifying clauses and labelling phrases.
Video length: 49 minutes
Instructor
Jodie Clark is a linguist at Sheffield Hallam University and the author of Refreshing grammar: an easy-going guide for teachers, writers and other creative people. With equal parts wisdom and humour, Jodie shares a new approach to grammar that she’s developed over more than 20 years of linguistics research and teaching.
Testimonials
‘I really loved the course. I think it would be a brilliant programme for any young or aspiring writer.’
‘The videos are excellent. The combination of an engaging image with minimal text on the slides has taught me a great deal about quality online learning. The explanations reflected extensive knowledge and were framed in language suitable for the audience. Clearly an expert at work.’
‘Refreshing Grammar made language come alive.’