How to Teach Writing, Spelling and Grammar

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Unlock the secrets to effective writing instruction with our comprehensive new course. This exciting program is designed to empower educators with the knowledge and strategies to transform their students into confident and skilled writers.
  • Level: Beginner/Intermediate
  • Video Time: 3+ hours
  • Presented by: Helen Walls with Christine Braid

What's included?

Online course content

Module One: Introducing The Simple View of Writing
Learn about “The Simple View of Writing” with Helen Walls and discover the core principles that underpin successful writing instruction.

Module Two: Teaching Transcription – Spelling and Handwriting 
In this module, Helen will delve into the critical importance of teaching foundational technical skills – spelling and handwriting. You will understand the correlations between handwriting, spelling and writing quality, and explore how mastering these skills can enhance overall writing performance. 

Module Three: Teaching Translation – Vocabulary Knowledge and Sentence Structure 
Christine Baird will guide you through effective vocabulary instruction methods, including the use of sophisticated language models by teachers and knowledge-rich programs. Additionally, Christine will demonstrate how picture books can be used to explicitly teach vocabulary knowledge.

Module Four: Formative Assessment of Student Needs
Discover the importance of formative assessment and feedback for fostering effective writing skills in students. Helen will unpack key stages from the Scope and Sequence appendix of How to Teach Writing, Spelling and Grammar. These provide valuable insights for effective formative assessment practices. Learn about the Fast Feedback system and how it can be utilised to optimise learning outcomes.

Module Five: Key Structures for Teaching Composition and Nurturing Student Self-Regulation 
In this session, Helen will provide valuable advice on managing the composition lesson and will showcase two shared writing sessions – one for juniors and one for seniors. Learn about methods for supporting student writers during their practice time and nurturing their self-regulation skills, ensuring they become independent and proficient writers.

Support book

We are excited to include a resource that will be an invaluable companion on your learning journey. How to Teach Writing, Spelling and Grammar, authored by our esteemed instructors Helen Walls and Christine Baird, provides an in-depth exploration of the concepts covered in our course.
Presenters

Helen Walls

Dr Helen Walls is a professional learning facilitator and educational researcher, with 20 years’ experience working in schools. She is committed to raising achievement in writing by sharing evidence-based, practical methods to engage every student. Helen is managing director of The Writing Teacher, a consultancy that provides writing workshops and resources for teachers, all accessible online. She is also a member of the Massey University school support team. For her PhD thesis, Helen conducted two empirical studies into the teaching of writing, which included a trial of the Fast Feedback Formative Evaluation System outlined in this book. She has published with The Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties and The Education Hub.

Christine Braid

Dr Christine Braid has 40 years’ experience as an educator, including 12 years as a classroom teacher and 25 years as a teacher educator with a focus on literacy teaching. In her academic studies, she has specialised in literacy: she has a Diploma of Children’s Literature, her MEd thesis looked at using picture books for developing comprehension discussion with older primary students and her PhD examined the influence of teacher knowledge and practice on literacy outcomes for new primary students. Combining her practical and her experience, Christine works with teachers to promote systematic and explicit teaching and to provide opportunities for incidental learning. Christine has a particular enthusiasm for finding ways to inspire teachers and children using books.