Lexis Education launched in July 2024 its first online, self-paced course, How Language Works. HLW is for any teacher wanting to develop an explicit understanding of how language works to support their students’ learning. Dozens of educators working in various contexts around the world are currently going through the course, and the positive feedback has been overwhelming.
We recently sat down with Donna Schuster, ELL Teacher at the 
Singapore American School. Donna was the first one to fully complete the 20-hour course, and did so in less than two months. In this interview, she talks about her learning experience and the impact HLW had on her understandings and practice.
Thank you, Donna, for accepting to share your feedback on How Language Works. First, tell us why you decided to undertake the course? Did it meet your expectations?
I had recently completed the 3L course, Language and Literacy for Learning, and learned that How Language Works was being offered online. I had been wanting to take HLW for years, and the online option worked for my schedule perfectly. HLW is an incredibly valuable course and exceeded my expectations. The material was intellectually stimulating and presented in a way that was engaging.
What did you think of the content and structure of the course?
The content covered in HLW deepened my understanding of language-based pedagogy by exploring the topics more deeply and also applying them to a classroom setting. Following the videos was easy, and the instructors, Brian Dare and John Polias, presented the material clearly and concisely. I appreciated being able to pause the videos to take notes and also to rewind sections to hear the explanations again. This allowed me to process the information and think critically about how I might apply it in my current teaching practice. The printouts were helpful for following with the instructors and for taking notes. Sometimes I wish I had had more note-taking space, but that is me–I take a lot of notes!
The OpenLearning platform was easy to navigate. It provided appropriate and varied options for interactions between the participants in the course.
We’re so glad you had a great learning experience! In terms of practice, how valuable is the course to you and your students?
I highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to deepen their knowledge of language-based pedagogy and functional grammar. Personally, this course was just what I wanted. It was a great balance of theory and practice. It deepened my knowledge of functional grammar and the language-making resources needed for student success in the classroom and provided me with some new tools to teach students. This course was hugely beneficial to me, and I believe has enhanced my teaching practice, benefitting my students.
We look forward to seeing how you apply what you’ve learnt in the classroom. One last question – if you were to recommend the course to a colleague, how would you rate it (from 1 to 10)?
I would absolutely rate this course a 10 and would recommend it for anyone who wants to deepen their knowledge of functional grammar and improve their teaching practice.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Donna.
Learn more about HLW here.