October is Dyslexia Awareness Month
Welcome to Term 4. As we mark Dyslexia Awareness Month and look ahead to 2027, I’m pleased to share some of the work happening across SPELD NSW.
Working alongside schools is central to what we do. Our recent successful demonstration days for SPELL and SPELL Launch at Gorokan Public School brought the programs into classrooms, giving teachers the opportunity to see the lessons, routines and resources in action. At Pymble Ladies’ College, we have also enjoyed working with staff on syntax and morphology, strengthening the connections between sentence structure, word knowledge, reading and writing.
Our ongoing curriculum project with Mount Sinai College has been another significant part of our work. We continue to work closely with the school and its teachers on detailed curriculum planning and classroom implementation. This collaboration connects the sequence of learning with the practical demands of teaching, helping translate curriculum plans into everyday classroom practice.
These partnerships shape the professional learning and resources we develop. Teachers’ questions, feedback and classroom experiences help us refine our materials and identify where further support is needed. Our aim is to provide clear, practical guidance and resources that teachers can use confidently and return to as their needs change.
We are also working to make our information more accessible to families and the wider community. A group of Macquarie University interns is reviewing how we communicate, including through our website and parent information. They are developing examples of clearer communications and recommendations to help people understand our services and find the support they need.
October’s Dyslexia Awareness Month gives us an opportunity to build understanding across schools and communities. Our Be Dyslexia Aware webinar offers a practical way for schools, early childhood services, libraries and other organisations to learn more about dyslexia and how to support people with learning difficulties. We hope you will help us share this opportunity with your networks.
For schools interested in learning more about SPELL, our discovery webinars provide an introduction to the program and time to ask questions about its use in your school. We are also preparing to release SPELL Advanced modules for 2027, extending the program’s support for spelling instruction in the upper primary years.
Thank you to the teachers, school leaders, families, members and supporters who contribute to our work. Your involvement helps us keep our focus on what matters: making effective teaching and informed support more accessible to people with learning difficulties.
Veronica Alexander
CEO, SPELD NSW
Member Survey
Celebrating Maddi’s commitment to learning
Congratulations to Madlen Shipley (Maddi), a tutor at Bright Minds in Tamworth, who was recently named Runner-Up in the Professional Development Award at the Australian Tutoring Association (ATA) Awards.
As part of her nomination, Maddi identified a professional development program she wanted to undertake and explained how it would benefit her students. She chose SPELL @ SPELD NSW, a wonderful recognition of her commitment to developing her skills and supporting her students.
Through SPELL, Maddi hopes to deepen her knowledge of spelling, phonics and morphology and apply this learning directly to her tutoring. Her goal is to make literacy sessions more explicit, targeted and responsive, helping students build their skills, confidence and independence in reading, spelling and writing.
It was also a celebration for owner Kylie Macpherson and the Bright Minds team, with five category wins, including an award for their Reading Intervention Program. Maddi’s chosen training will complement the team’s existing intervention approaches.
We were thrilled to hear about Maddi’s achievement and the work of Bright Minds Tamworth. Congratulations to everyone involved!
Do you have a story to share?
We love hearing about the achievements and experiences of our tutors and members. Please get in touch—we’d love to hear from you.
Learn, Grow and Thrive with SPELD NSW in 2027
We’re preparing new resources, professional learning and support for the year ahead, with a focus on practical tools that make a difference in classrooms. Here’s what to look out for:
SPELL Advanced modules: New modules for upper primary, extending the SPELL sequence and supporting more advanced spelling knowledge.
New on-demand learning: Series on syntax, vocabulary and comprehension, delivered in manageable sessions you can revisit and use with your team.
Just-in-Time teaching videos: Short, focused videos addressing one specific skill, question or teaching routine.
A connected professional learning calendar: Term themes linking Insights webinars, practical workshops and resources to help you build knowledge throughout the year.
Support for dyslexia-aware schools: Professional learning to help leaders strengthen understanding and support for students with dyslexia.
Expanded membership benefits: More resources, member professional learning and parent education to support our school and community members.
Meet Clinic Diagnostic Team
Our clinic diagnostic team includes Dr Jennifer Lorenzo, an Educational and Developmental Psychologist with a Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) and a PhD in Medicine.
Jennifer is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists. She works alongside Kerrie, a clinician and former primary school teacher who holds a Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Advanced) and postgraduate qualifications in learning difficulties.
Together, Jennifer and Kerrie assess children, adolescents, and adults to develop a clearer understanding of their individual learning profiles. Assessments may explore cognitive abilities, processing skills, phonics, reading, spelling, writing, mathematics, oral language, attention, executive functioning, and other factors that can affect learning.
Their role extends beyond identifying a diagnosis. They help individuals, families, and schools understand why learning may be difficult, recognise each person’s strengths, and determine which supports are most likely to make a meaningful difference at school, at home, at work, and in everyday life.
“Many students with learning difficulties work incredibly hard without achieving results that reflect their effort. Identifying the barriers to learning is the first step towards providing support that genuinely helps.” – Kerrie Dalley
“Learning profiles are complex, and no single score can capture the whole person. Assessment requires us to consider patterns across abilities, academic skills, development, and daily functioning.” – Dr Jennifer Lorenzo
Stories from our Referral Database
Melinda Wealands
Educator and Consultant, Bloom Education & Consulting
Structured teaching with room for individual needs
One of the things I value most in my work is recognising just how differently every individual learns. Each student brings their own experiences, strengths and ways of engaging with new skills. While every learner is unique, all learners benefit from explicit, structured and systematic instruction.
My connection with SPELD NSW has been central to student growth. Through SPELD NSW, I trained in UFLI Foundations, which now forms a significant part of my sessions. The training was accessible, practical and grounded in evidence. It gave me a systematic framework I could immediately apply and has strengthened both my practice and my students’ progress.
I combine UFLI’s structured synthetic phonics approach with SPELD SA decodable readers. Their careful sequencing allows students to practise new skills in meaningful text, building fluency and confidence. For many learners, these resources have been the key to experiencing success and rediscovering enjoyment in reading.
SPELD NSW is fortunate to have a community of experienced and dedicated tutors and allied health professionals supporting children and young people with reading and writing difficulties. In this new newsletter series, members of our Referral Database share what they have learned through their work and the SPELD NSW training and resources that support their practice.
Roslyn Turley
Dyslexia and Literacy Interventionist, Appletree Learning Support
Practical resources that save time and build confidence
SPELD NSW’s online training webinars have been so valuable for brushing up on the latest teaching techniques and helping my students with learning difficulties.
I have learned that a personally tailored Structured Literacy program, designed around a student’s individual needs, works. Having a variety of SPELD NSW member resources on hand allows me to adapt my teaching for each student.
After 25 years of teaching, I have also been streamlining my resources. SPELD NSW’s ready-to-use word lists, cards, letter tiles and fluency strips have saved me many hours creating materials from scratch.
Resources I particularly value include the Phonics and Morphology Scope and Sequence Regular Word Card Sets, Moon Dogs Catch-Up Readers and Fluency Strip Sentence Cards. The Powerful Vowels Kit is also wonderful for spelling and word-building. Its hands-on format increases the fun and feels less permanent or stressful for reluctant learners than making mistakes with pencil and paper.
Jamelle Touma
Owner, Brainjams
Confidence grows through connection and success
My studies taught me about memory, attention, reading development and the evidence-based strategies that support neurodivergent children. But when I began tutoring, I realised there was one thing my studies had not emphasised enough: the powerful role of confidence, connection and self-esteem in learning.
Learning is never just about completing a worksheet. Something as small as a high five, praise, a movement break, playful banter or friendly competition can completely change how a child approaches learning. When children feel safe, seen and capable, they are more willing to try, make mistakes and keep going.
SPELD NSW resources have been pivotal in the support we provide. Their systematic approach allows us to deliver structured literacy instruction in a way that is clear, engaging and easy to build upon. We also use resources such as the Moon Dogs series and Little Learners Love Literacy, tailoring them to each child’s needs.
Confidence grows when children experience success and safety. Both come from the environment, not simply from the contents of a book.
Hassia Lichtman
Speech Pathologist
Every learner’s needs are unique
I am a speech pathologist with 40 years of experience working with primary and secondary students with language-based learning difficulties and dyslexia.
Over many years, I have learned that each client’s difficulties are unique and that no single program can be applied sweepingly across students. My assessments identify each client’s individual strengths and weaknesses, which then form the basis of a streamlined program tailored to their needs.
I greatly value the referrals I receive through SPELD NSW. I also attend SPELD NSW’s informative workshops and appreciate the wonderful resources and support they so willingly offer.
Flexibility, creativity and adaptability are key to helping each client achieve their individual goals.
Book Professional Learning for your School
Planning your staff meetings and staff development days for 2027?
SPELD NSW offers specialised, inspiring and highly practical professional learning, tailored to your school’s priorities.
Our sessions designed specifically for staff meetings provide focused learning, useful resources and teaching strategies staff can apply straight away. For staff development days, we can provide more extensive learning, with time to deepen understanding, practise approaches and plan for implementation.
Topics include spelling, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, syntax, morphology and supporting students with learning difficulties. Schools can also host a session with neighbouring schools, creating an opportunity to learn together.
Our calendar fills early, so contact us now to discuss your needs and secure your preferred date. We’ll help you plan professional learning that is relevant to your staff and practical for your classrooms.
