Literacy and dyslexia intervention
I'm a dyslexia specialist providing evidence-based literacy intervention, in person at my Gold Coast clinic or online for families anywhere in Australia. Every program starts with a literacy assessment and is built around your child's specific profile, whether they have a formal diagnosis, another learning difficulty, or simply aren't progressing with classroom support alone.
Reading difficulties rarely resolve on their own.
Without targeted support, the gap between a struggling child and their peers tends to widen rather than close. Early, explicit, systematic intervention addresses the underlying processing difficulties driving that gap, not just the symptoms sitting on top of it.
Left unaddressed, literacy difficulties often show up as falling confidence, growing anxiety around schoolwork, and children switching off from learning altogether.
Signs your child may need literacy support
You may be noticing that your child:
- Struggles to sound out or decode unfamiliar words, even with repeated practice
- Confuses similar-looking letters (b/d, p/q) beyond the age this is typical
- Reads slowly, guesses at words, or avoids reading aloud
- Struggles to spell words they've already been taught
- Finds handwriting effortful, messy or tiring
- Has strong verbal skills but struggles to get ideas onto paper
- Is becoming anxious, frustrated or reluctant around reading and writing
- Hasn't responded to classroom-based reading support
If several of these sound familiar, a literacy assessment is a good next step, with or without a formal diagnosis. I can't provide a formal diagnosis of dyslexia myself (that sits with an educational or clinical psychologist), but my assessment identifies your child's specific literacy profile and shapes the program built around them.
How it works
Initial appointment: assessment
Every student starts with a comprehensive literacy assessment. This gives me a detailed picture of your child's strengths and difficulties across phonological awareness, decoding, spelling and reading fluency, so I can build a structured, individualised program rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
You'll receive the results by phone, or by phone plus a written report if you'd like one.
Private literacy intervention
Sessions run one-to-one for 40 minutes, in person at my Gold Coast clinic or online. Clients enrol for a full school term at a time, with weekly sessions as the minimum commitment. For the strongest progress I recommend two to three sessions each week with a six-month enrolment.
Sessions run in line with Queensland state school terms, with a reduced timetable often available during school holidays.
I encourage parents and caregivers to sit in during sessions. Supporting what your child is learning at home works best when you've seen it firsthand.
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Explicit & systematic
Structured programs that close specific knowledge gaps, taught in a deliberate order, not generic worksheets.
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Evidence-based
Every program draws on the Science of Reading and proven structured-literacy approaches.
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Individualised
Every plan is built around your child's assessment results, not a fixed curriculum.
My approach
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Science of Reading aligned
Instruction grounded in the substantial evidence base on how children learn to read, write and become literate.
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Quality resources
Sounds-Write, Phonic Books, UFLI, Heggerty, The Writing Revolution and Seven Steps.
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Home practice
Resources to reinforce session learning between appointments, and parents in the room so you know exactly how to use them.
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Collaboration
Working alongside schools, caregivers and your child's wider professional team, including occupational therapists and speech pathologists.
Parent consultations
Dedicated time with me to understand your child's literacy profile, what's driving their difficulties, and how to support them, both alongside intervention and at home.
A good fit if you want to:
- Understand your child's assessment results in practical, day-to-day terms
- Learn evidence-based strategies to support reading, writing or spelling at home
- Get guidance on advocating for school accommodations
- Support a child who's anxious or reluctant about literacy
- Support a neurodivergent child with literacy learning at home
Every consultation is tailored to your child. An initial literacy assessment is required before booking, and some families find more than one consultation helpful as their child progresses.
Frequently asked questions
What is structured literacy?
Structured literacy is an evidence-based approach to teaching reading, writing and spelling. It's explicit, systematic and cumulative, which means I teach children how sounds and letter patterns work, rather than relying on guessing or memorisation.
What is MSL (Multisensory Structured Language) therapy?
MSL therapy is a structured literacy approach that engages sight, sound and touch together to help build strong connections between letters, sounds and language. It's widely regarded as the gold standard approach for treating dyslexia.
Do you work with autistic children, or children with ADHD?
Yes. I take a neuro-affirming approach to literacy intervention for a wide range of learners, including children who are autistic, have ADHD, dyslexia, intellectual impairments or developmental delays.
Is literacy intervention available online?
Yes. I offer sessions in person at my Gold Coast clinic in Robina, and online for families anywhere in Australia.
How is this different from regular tutoring?
Tutoring typically supports children with their current schoolwork. Structured literacy intervention instead targets the underlying processing difficulties, such as phonological awareness, that are causing the literacy gap in the first place.
Does my child need a diagnosis before starting?
No. I work with children who have a formal diagnosis and children who don't. I'm not able to diagnose dyslexia myself, as that sits within the scope of an educational or clinical psychologist, but my assessment identifies your child's specific profile and shapes their program either way.
How often does my child need sessions, and for how long?
Clients enrol for a full school term at a time, with weekly 40-minute sessions as the minimum commitment.
For the strongest progress I recommend two to three sessions each week with a six-month enrolment. Children working at that intensity often improve by remarkable margins. Every child progresses at their own pace, and we'll discuss what's realistic for your family along the way.
What ages do you work with?
From five years of age through to adults, starting at Prep. I regularly work with teenagers and adult learners.
Parent Reviews
I have helped many kids and young adults go from struggling to confident readers and spellers using evidence-based methods.
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“My 15-year-old daughter, who has dyslexia, has been seeing Dominique twice a week for the last six months for help with spelling, reading, and grammar. Dominique’s bubbly personality makes lessons fun and uplifting. My daughter loves attending; she has gained so much confidence and made significant progress. We highly recommend Dominique.”
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“My son has been working with Dominique for a couple of years and she has been fantastic. She is patient, calm, and incredibly engaging. Tuition never feels like a chore, my son genuinely enjoys his sessions. Dominique understands that he is a visual learner and uses drawings and visual cues to support sounds and spelling. We’ve seen a huge improvement in his reading, which now flows with much more confidence. We highly recommend Dominique to anyone looking for literacy support or intervention.”
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“If I could give more than 5 stars I would! We have had the best experience with Dominique and we have gone through many many tutors over the years. Our daughter adores her and the improvement she has made in such a short time proves that our tutor is an expert in her field. I wish I found Dominique sooner however very happy that we have now.”
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“In just two terms with Dominique, the change has been extraordinary. Not only has our daughter’s literacy improved dramatically, but the anxiety and fear that once surrounded reading and writing have completely lifted. For the first time, she is enjoying her literacy journey with confidence and pride. Dominique has given her so much more than skills, she’s given her belief in herself. We are incredibly grateful for the patience, encouragement, and expertise Dominique has brought into our daughter’s life.”
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“Dominique is the most phenomenal Educational Specialist and her intervention has helped my son (8) improve in his reading, spelling and handwriting. We sign him out of school early to see her because we as well as his teachers can see the improvements from her intervention. Some teachers have even asked me to send through her contact so they can refer other students onto her. Thank you Miss Dominique 🙂”
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“Can’t recommend Dominique highly enough, especially if you have a child that has additional learning needs that has fallen through the gaps at school. Knowing we have someone that is qualified, experienced, and is teaching SPELD recommended programs is worth it. It’s been such a weight off my shoulders being able to trust Dominique’s experience to guide us where we need to go. My child is making significant and noticeable progress, and I can’t wait to see where the literacy intervention will take her.”
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“Dominique is the best tutor and helps our daughter so much. Dominique is kind, patient and supportive, and her teaching methods help our daughter understand and build confidence in her learning. We are so grateful for her dedication. We have seen a huge improvement in both confidence and schoolwork. We highly recommend Dominique to any family looking for a tutor who truly makes a difference.”
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“Dominique is amazing, we are so grateful to have found her! She is an incredibly patient and knowledgeable teacher. We’ve seen such a huge improvement and highly recommend her to any parent looking for a great literacy tutor!”
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“Dominique is an amazing teacher! My 9 year old son has Dysgraphia and has been seeing Dominique for over a year now to help with spelling, reading and letter formation. He has improved more than we ever imagined. Her patience, flexible teaching techniques, positive and bubbly nature makes Literacy Intervention fun. It has increased our son’s confidence and many of his teachers are so proud of the progress he has made using Dominique’s program. Would highly recommend Dominique and her Literacy Intervention program! Thank you Dominique!”
Ready to start, or still weighing it up?
Places are limited each term and priority goes to families on the waitlist. Send me a short note about your child and I'll tell you honestly whether I'm the right fit.