About Helen (PhD, Dip Tchg, BA/BMUS)
I am a professional learning facilitator and educational researcher, with twenty years’ experience working in schools. For my PhD thesis I conducted two empirical studies into the teaching of writing. The first was a trial of the Fast Feedback Formative Evaluation System. The second was a survey of teachers’ beliefs and practices, and an investigation of the impacts of these on student achievement. I founded The Writing Teacher in 2021, with the goal to help raise achievement in writing by sharing evidence-based, practical methods - to engage every student. I spend most of my time in classrooms, working alongside teachers and students. I am also busy delivering workshops, and publishing my research - detailed below. Connect with me to find out more about how I can support you to support your students, so that writing becomes a highlight of every school day.
My Research:
Walls, H., & Johnston, M. (In train). Teachers’ beliefs and practices for the teaching of writing in New Zealand: influences on student achievement. I am working on revisions following peer review by The Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties.
Walls, H. (2023). Effective Vocabulary Instruction. The Education Hub. https://theeducationhub.org.nz/effective-vocabulary-instruction/
Walls, H. (2023). Teaching Spelling in Primary and Intermediate Schools. The Education Hub. https://theeducationhub.org.nz/teaching-spelling-in-primary-and-intermediate-schools/
Walls, H. (2022). Effective Writing Instruction in the Junior Primary Years. The Education Hub. https://theeducationhub.org.nz/effective-writing-instruction-in-the-junior-primary-years/
Walls, H. (2022). Effective Writing Instruction in Years 3-8. The Education Hub. https://theeducationhub.org.nz/effective-writing-instruction-in-years-3-8/
Walls, H. (2022). Teaching Writing at Primary School (Webinar). The Education Hub. https://theeducationhub.org.nz/teaching-writing-at-primary-school/
Paper - Constructivism Plus: Adding to our Kete of Methods for the Teaching of Writing. New Zealand Initiative, Wellington, 2022.
Paper – Teachers’ beliefs and practices for the teaching of writing in New Zealand: influences on student achievement, PPTA Conference, Wellington, 2021.
Walls H., & Johnston, M. (2020). The Fast Feedback Method: a quasi-experimental study of the use of formative assessment for primary students’ writing. Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties.(Advance online publication). Doi: 10.1080/19404158.2020.1862880.
Conference Paper – The Fast Feedback Research Project, NZARE Conference, Whakatane, 2015.