We’re delighted to share the publication of new research examining how a language-based pedagogy is being implemented in Australian schools, with Lexis Education at the centre of the study.
Published in the Australian Journal of Teacher Education, Anne-Coleman Webre’s 2026 research article, “Slowly, Slowly, Slowly it Becomes this is What Accepted Practice is: Factors Affecting Functional Grammar Teacher Training in Australian Schools”, explores the implementation of Lexis Education’s professional learning through interviews with our certified tutors.
For us, the research is significant because it provides an independent academic perspective on something we have seen in schools for many years: when teachers develop a deeper understanding of how language works, and are given practical ways to apply that knowledge, functional approaches to language can become an integral part of everyday teaching.
From theory to classroom practice
Functional grammar can sometimes feel like a complex area of linguistics. For teachers, the important question is not simply “What is functional grammar?” but: “How does this knowledge help me teach my students more effectively?”.
All Lexis Education courses are created with this question in mind. Our professional learning supports teachers to understand language as a resource for making meaning and to use that understanding explicitly when teaching reading, writing and speaking, including when supporting students learning English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D).
Webre’s research explores how this kind of professional learning moves from theory into practice. The study involved nine interviews with twelve Lexis Education tutors, examining the factors that support and challenge the implementation of functional grammar teacher training in Australian schools.
What does the research tell us?
One of the most encouraging findings is the role of a shared professional community.
The research found that Lexis Education tutors are connected by shared understandings of functional grammar and its value for classroom teaching, as well as by shared curriculum materials developed through Lexis Education. This creates a community of practice in which teachers and trainers have a common language, conceptual framework and set of resources to draw upon.
This is important because meaningful professional learning is about more than attending a workshop and taking away a few new strategies. For professional learning to influence classroom practice, teachers need opportunities to:
- develop a strong conceptual understanding;
- connect new knowledge to their existing classroom practice;
- work with practical examples and resources;
- develop a shared professional language; and
- continue using and refining their knowledge over time.
The research suggests that these elements have helped functional approaches to language teaching become increasingly established in the schools and professional communities in which Lexis Education operates.
Building teacher knowledge that lasts
A particularly valuable aspect of the research is its focus on why professional learning becomes sustainable.
The study identifies influences at several levels: the broader educational environment, the professional field, and the experiences and beliefs of individual educators. Within the professional field, the shared commitment of Lexis Education tutors to functional approaches to language emerges as particularly important.
This resonates strongly with our own philosophy. We don’t see professional learning as simply delivering a set of teaching techniques. We believe teachers need knowledge about language that they can draw on when making decisions about teaching. When teachers understand why a particular linguistic feature matters, they are better positioned to adapt their teaching to different texts, different curriculum demands and different learners. This is especially important for EAL/D students, who are simultaneously learning curriculum content and the language needed to access and demonstrate that learning.
A practical approach to a complex area
The research also highlights an important strength of the Lexis Education model: the combination of shared theoretical ideas and practical curriculum resources.
Functional grammar has a substantial theoretical foundation, drawing on the work of linguists including M.A.K. Halliday. But teachers don’t need to become linguists in order to use functional approaches effectively. They need professional learning that makes sophisticated ideas usable in real classrooms. This translation from theory into practice has always been central to our work.
Part of a bigger Australian story
The research places Lexis Education within Australia’s long history of using functional approaches to language and literacy education. It also notes that the Australian Curriculum has incorporated ideas associated with systemic functional linguistics, creating an important national context for this work.
At the same time, the research acknowledges that language and literacy education in Australia remains an area of ongoing debate, with teachers and schools encountering different perspectives about how language should be taught.
Against this backdrop, the study provides an interesting insight into how a particular professional community can sustain and develop an approach over time. The title of the paper captures this beautifully:
“Slowly, slowly, slowly it becomes this is what accepted practice is.”
For us, that reflects an important truth about educational change. Sustainable change rarely happens overnight. It develops as teachers build knowledge, try ideas in their classrooms, discuss them with colleagues and see their usefulness over time.
Why this matters for teachers
For teachers, the research offers an encouraging message: developing knowledge about language can become a practical and sustainable part of teaching practice.
Functional grammar isn’t simply another framework or terminology to add to an already crowded professional learning landscape. Used well, it gives teachers a way of understanding how language works in the texts students are expected to read, write and create, and, crucially, how teachers can make that knowledge visible to students.
At Lexis Education, we are committed to evidence-informed professional learning and to continuing to contribute to the broader conversation about language and literacy. We are therefore particularly pleased to see our work examined through an academic research lens.
Reference
Webre, A. (2026). “Slowly, Slowly, Slowly it Becomes this is What Accepted Practice is”: Factors Affecting Functional Grammar Teacher Training in Australian Schools. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 51(3).
Read the full research article
If you’re interested in developing your understanding of functional grammar and learning how to apply it in your classroom, explore Lexis Education’s professional learning for teachers.