Hi, I'm Louise.

I'm a specialist educator based in Warrnambool, Victoria, with a particular interest in oral language difficulties and specific learning difficulties — including dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia. I work with children aged 5 to 18 and with the families and schools trying to understand and support them.

I'm a qualified teacher with more than 20 years of experience working with children of all ages, as well as in adult education. I hold a Master of Education in Learning Intervention from the University of Melbourne, which I completed with First Class Honours. I have worked across a broad range of educational settings: teaching English to refugees in Sydney, supporting secondary students in regional Victoria, and everything in between. What connects all of that work is a belief that language and literacy are not just academic skills — they're the foundation for a person's confidence, independence and opportunity.

Pelican Learning is my way of making specialist assessment and support available to more families — particularly those in regional areas who can't afford to wait months for a city-based appointment.

Please note: I am a specialist educator, not a psychologist. I provide educational assessments that identify indicators of learning difficulties and inform the support process — not formal psychological diagnoses. Where a formal diagnosis is required, I will advise on the appropriate referral pathway.

My approach

I believe in being direct with families. An assessment should give you answers, not leave you more confused. My reports are written in plain language, my debrief sessions are conversational, and my recommendations are practical — things you can actually act on.

I also take a whole-child view. Many children have co-occurring difficulties — DLD and dyslexia together, or literacy challenges alongside anxiety or ADHD — and one of the most helpful things I can do is help families understand how these interact and what to prioritise.

On understanding — and the 'labelling'

Many parents come to me worried that identifying a learning difficulty will 'label' their child and somehow limit how others see them. I understand that concern deeply — and I want to gently challenge it.

In my experience, children who learn differently almost always begin to label themselves long before any adult does. When a child senses they are struggling in ways their peers are not, they often reach for explanations that are harmful and simply untrue: that they are stupid, lazy, or not as good as others. These are the labels that do real damage.'

Understanding — whether or not it comes with a formal name attached — replaces those false narratives with an accurate one. It tells a young person: your brain works differently, and here is how and why. It helps parents advocate effectively. It helps teachers teach more responsively. And it often comes as a profound relief to the child themselves.

I am a strong advocate for honest, supported conversations with young people about how they learn — with the right adults around them: parents, teachers, family members who can help them build a healthy, accurate and ultimately empowering story about who they are. Many of the qualities that come with a different learning profile — creativity, tenacity, big-picture thinking, empathy — are genuine strengths. Understanding the full picture helps young people own those strengths, not just manage the challenges.

The tools I use

DYMOND™ (Dynamic Measures Of Narrative Language and Decoding)

DYMOND™ is a norm-referenced dynamic assessment for children aged 5–14. It identifies indicators of Developmental Language Disorder and dyslexia with 95% sensitivity and 91% specificity, including in children from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. It is one of the most accurate educational assessment tools currently available.

TILLS (Test of Integrated Language and Literacy Skills)

TILLS is a comprehensive assessment of language and literacy for students aged 6–18, providing a detailed profile across listening, reading, writing, speaking and language memory — essential for understanding older students' full picture.

Intervention Programs

Story Champs

Story Champs is an evidence-based language intervention program for children with Developmental Language Disorder. I am trained and certified to deliver Story Champs intervention sessions.

Qualifications & training

  • VIT Qualified teacher with 20+ years of experience across all age groups, including adult education.

  • Master of Education in Learning Intervention, University of Melbourne — First Class Honours (2022)

  • Specialist in dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and oral language difficulties.

  • Certified in DYMOND™ assessment (Language Dynamics Group)

  • Certified in TILLS assessment

  • Certified in Story Champs intervention (Language Dynamics Group)

  • Certified in Word Origins (SpeLD)

  • Certified in Sounds Write