David Wort was born in the South Island and grew up in a variety of locations in New Zealand's rural heartland. He completed his first degree, majoring in English, French and History, at the University of Waikato. His Master's degree was taken at the University of Auckland and he trained as a teacher at Auckland Teachers' College. After some years teaching in Auckland and the arrival of the first of his four children, he moved to the Bay of Plenty where he has taught for over thirty years, many of them as a Head of Department. The introduction of NCEA presented new leadership responsibilities in resource creation and assessment which, along with the experience of teaching in the new system at all levels, have developed the practical insights so evident in the Achieving in English series.
"I hope my books encourage students to discover the great truth about learning that Francis of Assisi put like this : Start by doing what's necessary, then do what's possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
David Wort
