The Learning & Literacy Clinic

The Learning & Literacy Clinic At The Learning & Literacy Clinic we specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of literacy disorders

Episode 4: "How should we actually teach students to read?" is now up🤓 📺 Youtube: https://lnkd.in/geadgicV🎙️ Spotify: ht...
03/03/2026

Episode 4: "How should we actually teach students to read?" is now up🤓

📺 Youtube: https://lnkd.in/geadgicV
🎙️ Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gJzgwK6M

If you are a parent or a teacher - this is a must watch! We are joined by Dr Tanya Serry, who is a Professor of Literacy and Reading at Latrobe University, and a co-founder of the Science of Language and Reading (SOLAR) Lab.

Among a lot of other things, we talk about what should actually be happening in schools so our students learn to read well, and what we can do to make sure this is happening Australia wide!

And if you want to see how we're putting the latest evidence into practice at the clinic, or get more info on how we can support your child with their reading, then don't hesitate to reach out: https://www.learningandliteracyclinic.com.au/contact/

06/02/2026

Part 2: How do I get my child to read at home?

What children read matters just as much as how often they read. Novels and textbooks are not the goal if they are too hard or uninteresting.

Interest comes first. Reading about favourite topics like sport, hobbies or special interests helps children stay engaged and actually practise reading. The text still builds skills, even if it is a website or short article.

Finding the right level can take time. Aim for something that is not too easy or too hard, and use assisted reading if needed. Experiment, adjust, and build from there.

📍 Redlands / Brisbane, QLD | Telehealth available
📞 (07) 3214 3651
https://www.learningandliteracyclinic.com.au/

03/02/2026

Part 1: How do I get my child to read at home?

Many families know home reading is important, but for children who have struggled for a long time, reading can feel overwhelming. Resistance is common when reading has been difficult and frustrating.

Starting small and using the right clinical strategies can help rebuild confidence and make reading at home feel more achievable over time.

📍 Redlands / Brisbane, QLD | Telehealth available
📞 (07) 3214 3651
https://www.learningandliteracyclinic.com.au/

26/01/2026

Getting unconfident students to engage in therapy – Part 3

Errorless learning works for adults too.

When tasks are set up with high contrast and limited choices, success becomes likely — even for learners who feel unsure or anxious. Repeated success quickly shifts confidence, reduces avoidance, and increases willingness to try.

Once learners believe “I can do this”, progress accelerates.

Confidence first. Learning follows.

📍 Redlands / Brisbane, QLD
💻 Telehealth available
🔗 www.learningandliteracyclinic.com.au

24/01/2026

Getting unconfident students to engage in therapy - Part 2

Errorless learning works because success is engineered, not accidental.

By carefully controlling the task - high-contrast choices, very few options, and clear cues — students experience immediate accuracy, even when skills are very weak. Success is almost guaranteed, and that is the point.

When a child realises they can get it right before being taught explicitly, anxiety drops and engagement rises. Confidence grows first, then learning follows.

The same principle applies whether you are teaching consonants, vowels, or any other foundational skill:
✔ reduce choices
✔ increase contrast
✔ build success early
✔ increase difficulty gradually

Learning feels safe again - and that is when real progress begins.

📍 Redlands / Brisbane, QLD
💻 Telehealth available
🔗 www.learningandliteracyclinic.com.au

22/01/2026

Getting unconfident students to engage in therapy - Part 1

Many children arrive at intervention already convinced they cannot learn.
Low confidence, high anxiety, and years of struggle can make engagement feel impossible.

One simple shift makes a powerful difference: errorless learning.
By carefully setting tasks so students experience immediate success, we help them rebuild belief in themselves. Success first → confidence → willingness to try → real learning.

When children see “I can do this”, everything changes.

📍 Redlands / Brisbane, QLD
💻 Telehealth available
🔗 www.learningandliteracyclinic.com.au

19/01/2026

Part 2: Why the right diagnosis matters

The diagnosis you receive directly affects the funding, supports, and treatments you can access. Some conditions may be eligible for long term funding, while others are not, even if the learning support looks similar on the surface.

Different diagnoses also require different treatments. If the diagnosis is incorrect, time, money, and effort can be spent on interventions that do not address the real difficulty.

A thorough assessment ensures the right supports, adjustments, and treatments are matched to the actual need.

📍 Redlands / Brisbane, QLD | Telehealth available
📞 (07) 3214 3651
🌐 https://www.learningandliteracyclinic.com.au/

18/01/2026

Part 1: Should you self diagnose learning difficulties?

With so much information online, it can be easy to assume a diagnosis fits. However, self diagnosing dyslexia or other learning difficulties carries a high risk of getting it wrong.

Many conditions can present in similar ways, and sometimes the difficulty is not a learning disorder at all, but missed schooling, illness, or limited exposure to instruction.

Getting the right assessment matters.
Part 2 explains what to do instead.

📍 Redlands / Brisbane, QLD | Telehealth available
📞 (07) 3214 3651
🌐 https://www.learningandliteracyclinic.com.au/

12/01/2026

When the system leaves families with nowhere to turn

For many educators and families, frustration grows when support feels buried under red tape and box-ticking. The focus can drift away from what truly matters - children, learning, and meaningful progress.

Sometimes, reaching a standstill in mainstream education becomes the catalyst for creating something better: a more responsive, human approach that puts real needs first.

🎥 Watch the full discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVJgwAcXjfY&t=1s

📍 Redlands / Brisbane, QLD | Telehealth available
📞 (07) 3214 3651
🌐 https://www.learningandliteracyclinic.com.au/

08/01/2026

The social adjustment many remote children face.

When children from remote communities come together, their joy in simply being with other kids is clear. Mixed-age play, shared excitement and genuine connection are common - and deeply positive.

However, transitioning into boarding school or mainstream settings can be confronting. Many have had limited exposure to schoolyard dynamics, peer politics and the social challenges that are, unfortunately, part of many school environments. Navigating these experiences, alongside the emotional impact of leaving home, can be overwhelming.

Understanding and supporting this transition is essential for their wellbeing and long-term success.

🎥 Watch the full discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVJgwAcXjfY&t=1s

📍 Redlands / Brisbane, QLD | Telehealth available
📞 (07) 3214 3651
🌐 https://www.learningandliteracyclinic.com.au/

07/01/2026

Behind distance education in remote Australia

For many remote families, learning does not happen in a typical classroom. Distance education often relies on a supervising adult - someone who may have had to give up full-time work, or a young governess straight out of Year 12 with little or no formal training in education.

These realities highlight the hidden pressures placed on families and children in remote settings, and why access to professional educational support matters so deeply.

🎥 Watch the full discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVJgwAcXjfY&t=1s

📍 Redlands / Brisbane, QLD | Telehealth available
📞 (07) 3214 3651
🌐 https://www.learningandliteracyclinic.com.au/

05/01/2026

When the internet becomes another barrier to learning

For many families, connectivity is still unreliable. Storms, outages and unstable connections can turn a simple online lesson into a frustrating experience - especially for children trying to follow along and only catching every third word.

While technology has improved, these interruptions remain a daily reality for some households, highlighting why access, flexibility and understanding are so important in education.

🎥 Watch the full discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVJgwAcXjfY&t=1s

📍 Redlands / Brisbane, QLD | Telehealth available
📞 (07) 3214 3651
🌐 https://www.learningandliteracyclinic.com.au/

Address

128-144 Boundary Road
Thornlands, QLD
4164

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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