Episode 4 NPCAT Principles for High Quality Writing Grammar and Structural Features

Welcome to Episode 4 of the NPCAT Principles for High Quality Writing CPD series! In this session, we explore Explicit Teaching of Grammar & Structural Features. Learn how to move away from isolated, out-of-context grammar drills toward purpose-driven instruction that directly impacts pupil composition. If you find this video helpful, please LIKE this video and SUBSCRIBE to the channel so you never miss an episode in our series! 🔔 In this video, you will learn: Why Grammar Matters: How contextualized grammar provides clarity, precision and sophistication, bridging transcription and composition. Research Evidence: Why isolated grammar drills yield negative effect sizes (-0.2 to -0.4), whereas strategy instruction (+1.0–1.2) and sentence combining (+0.5) significantly improve writing quality. The 2-Step Teaching Model: Explicitly teaching grammatical structures for fluency (drilling), then immediately applying them in context. Building Fluency: Applying Tom Sherrington’s WalkThrus and LEAD framework (Link, Example, Authenticity, Discussion). Developing Sprachgefühl: Fostering a true "feel for language" using tools like Alan Peat Sentence Types. 👍Don't forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE! Hit the notification bell to stay updated with every new release in the series. How do you embed grammar instruction into your writing sequences? Let us know in the comments below! Research, Frameworks & Pedagogical Toolkits Cited: Ofsted. Research review series: English. Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). Improving Literacy in Key Stage 1 & Key Stage 2 Guidance Reports. Carnegie Media & Research Syntheses. Effect Sizes in Grammar and Writing Interventions. Britton, J. Language and Learning ("Reading and writing float on a sea of talk"). Sherrington, T., & Caviglioli, O. Teaching WalkThrus: Practice & Retrieval (Building Fluency). LEAD Academy Trust. LEAD Writing Framework (Link, Example, Authenticity, Discussion). Jones (2025) & Clements (2023) / Town End Research School. Developing "Sprachgefühl" (A feel for language). Peat, A. Writing Voice: Writing Exciting Sentences (Alan Peat Sentence Types).