Role
Aisling is a Senior Lecturer in the Nottingham Institute of Education. She teaches on the Secondary English PGCE and on several undergraduate education courses. Aisling's research interests focus on the writer identities of trainee English teachers, preservice teachers' experiences of prescriptive schemes of learning, arts-based pedagogies and students as writers.
Career overview
Aisling joined NTU in 2017 as the Secondary English PGCE lead within the Secondary Education team. In 2023 Aisling completed her MA in Education.
Before she joined NTU, Aisling worked as a Specialist Leader in Education and an Advanced Skills Teacher at The Fernwood School in Nottingham. At Fernwood, Aisling taught KS3 and KS4, led on whole school literacy and supported colleagues with their classroom practice through training courses and one to one coaching. Aisling also worked with several other partnership schools in Nottinghamshire.
Aisling started her teaching career in Oxford, after completing her PGCE at the University of Oxford. She spent several years at Bartholomew School in Eynsham, teaching English at KS3 and KS4 and English Literature and Film Studies at KS5. Aisling completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Durham, receiving a BA (Hons) in English Literature.
Research areas
Aisling is currently involved in several projects, including an international research project with UKLA colleagues, focusing on preservice teachers' experiences of pre-planned teaching resources. Aisling is also working on a NTU TILT funded project, exploring the impact of arts and place-based practice on students' creativity and belonging. Aisling is also working on a book, 'Becoming a Poet', borne of the Young Poets' Voices work involving Anthony Wilson, Richard Bromhall and the late, great Sue Dymoke.
External activity
Podcasts
Aisling is a committed ally and has been a guest on the Pride and Progress podcast. She joined a panel of guests for the Pride and Progress Heartstopper specials and worked with a group of educators for a special live episode for the launch of the Pride and Progress book.
Publications
Friend, K. and Walters, A. (2025) Rebelling together against the myth of the lone creative genius: how arts-based pedagogies enhanced community learning. Society for Research into Higher Education (SHRE) blog post. Available at: SRHE Blog | The Society for Research into Higher Education
Walters, A. (2025) ‘Something I’ve carried with me’: writing journeys in the secondary English classroom. Literacy. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/lit.12396
Walters, A. 2024. ‘Views from a conference’ included in BERA Bites, Issue 11: Developing your early career researcher profile & skillset. Available at: https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/bera-bites-issue-11-developing-your-early-career-researcher-profile-skillset
Walters, A. 2024. Teacher Identity: Crucial To Becoming An Educator. Professional Development Today. Volume 23 Issue 4. Available at: https://www.teachingtimes.com/professional-development-today-volume-23-issue-4-contents/
Walters, A., 2024. Book review: Girl, Goddess, Queen. Teaching English (36), p. 81. ISSN 2051-7971
Walters, A. and Blazewicz-Bell, R. (2024) NIoE blog. Mum Club. Oct 2024. https://nottinghaminstituteofeducation.wordpress.com/2024/10/04/mum-club-1-of-2
Walters, A., 2024. Book review: Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Lin.Teaching English (25), p. 82. ISSN 2051-7971
Crowley, M. and Walters, A. (2024) NIoE blog. The SKE Slopes of Secondary English ITT. Feb 26. https://nottinghaminstituteofeducation.wordpress.com/2024/02/26/the-ske-slopes-of-secondary-english-itt/
Walters, A. (2023) Views from a conference. BERA blog post. 26 July. https://www.bera.ac.uk/blog/views-from-a-conference
Dymoke, S. Walters, A. and Willshire, K. (2023) Cave Encounters at Nottingham Contemporary. June 23. https://nottinghaminstituteofeducation.wordpress.com/2023/06/23/cave-encounters-at-nottingham-contemporary/
Walters, A. (2021) NioE blog. The Messiness of Coaching and Mentoring. Dec 16. https://nottinghaminstituteofeducation.wordpress.com/2021/12/16/the-messiness-of-coaching-and-mentoring/
Walters, A. (2021). In Search of Light. NATE News and Impact report: Lockdown Special. https://www.nate.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/In-Search-of-Light-AW-2021.pdf
Conference papers and presentations:
‘Rebellion in a creative city: how art and creative writing can add to our students’ cultural rucksack’. Presented with Dr. Katherine Friend at The Society for Research into Higher Education international conference. December 2024
‘The impact of prescriptive schemes of work on preservice teachers’ professional autonomy and ownership of the planning process’. Presented with Dr. Paul Richardson, Caroline Whiting, Dr. Sonja Kuzich and Dr. Paul Gardner at United Kingdom Literacy Association. 2024.
‘Rebellion in a creative city: how art and creative writing can add to our students’ cultural rucksack’. Presented with Dr. Katherine Friend at Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham’s Symposium: Exploring Tomorrow's Academia: Charting the Course for Higher Education. 2024.
‘Exploring literacy as a social practice’. Presented with Amanda Spruyt and Peter Rumney at the National Literacy Trust’s Secondary School National Conference 2023.
‘An exploration of the personal writing histories of trainee English teachers and the impact of these experiences on their writer identities’. Presented at British Educational Research Association. 2023.
‘Adventures in Writing’. Presented at British Educational Studies Association 2023.
‘Something I’ve carried with me: Adventures in Writing’. Presented at United Kingdom Literacy Association 2023.
'Rivers of Writing'. Presented at the International Women's Day KultchEd conference at Nottingham Contemporary. March 2023