Dr. Helen Walls is a dedicated professional learning facilitator and educational researcher with two decades of experience in school settings. Her primary focus is on enhancing achievement in writing through evidence-based and practical approaches that engage all students. As the managing director of The Writing Teacher, Helen provides accessible online workshops and resources for teachers, supporting them in their writing instruction. She is also a valued member of the Massey University school support team.
For her doctoral thesis, Helen conducted two empirical studies that explored effective writing instruction. One notable aspect of her research was the trial of the Fast Feedback Formative Evaluation System, which is outlined in her published book. Helen has also contributed to esteemed publications such as The Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties and The Education Hub, further solidifying her expertise in the field.
Through her consultancy work and research contributions, Helen is dedicated to empowering educators with the knowledge and tools they need to foster exceptional writing skills in their students.
A practical guide and recommended resources for teacher assistants and learning support staff on everyday reading and writing strategies that help struggling readers build up their skills and reading confidence.
Dr Helen Walls reflects on her latest release with Dr Christine Braid and unpacks her top six research-backed reading strategies from How to Teach Reading – the latest title in their How to Teach collection.
Helen Walls explores her four-book writing intervention, offering practical, research-based tools to help teachers rebuild writing foundations and boost student confidence.
Discover how interest-based writing can re-engage reluctant writers in your English classroom. Inspire creativity, confidence and joy, and see your students fall in love with writing again.
Discover how the How to Teach Writing, Spelling and Grammar course helps teachers build confidence, align practice and boost student success through structured literacy.
Get to know author and literacy expert, Helen Walls, who answered a few of our questions about reading, writing and teaching.
In her latest blog, teaching expert, Dr Helen Walls emphasizes the importance of foundational writing skills. Foundational writing skills are essential for student progress. Discover why spelling, handwriting, and sentence writing are critical and how to support struggling writers in your classroom.
Writing is not just a skill; it’s a way for children to make sense of their world. Learners who struggle with writing may feel disempowered,
Dr Helen Walls, The Writing Teacher, explains why we should move away from constructivism and towards explicit teaching.
Author Helen Walls discusses the benefits of learning to write, reevaluates current teaching approaches and uses research to identify methods that better serve students.