I’m Emma Smales, an experienced primary educator and literacy specialist with more than 27 years’ experience working with children, families and schools across Australia and the United Kingdom.

My professional background spans early childhood and primary education, giving me a strong understanding of how literacy develops from its earliest foundations through the primary years.

Throughout my career, I have worked as a classroom teacher, school leader and learning support practitioner, with a particular interest in helping children who find reading, spelling and writing more challenging than expected.

I established Pathway Literacy to provide children with the kind of targeted, individual support that can be difficult to deliver within a busy classroom setting.

My Approach

I believe effective literacy intervention begins with understanding the individual child.

Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, I use assessment and ongoing progress monitoring to identify a child’s strengths, pinpoint areas requiring support and plan instruction accordingly.

Sessions are explicit, systematic and carefully sequenced, while remaining responsive to the child in front of me. Just as importantly, I want children to feel comfortable, capable and engaged in their learning.

Where appropriate, I also work collaboratively with parents, teachers and other professionals so that intervention connects meaningfully with the child’s broader learning needs.

Experience & Expertise

Over more than two decades in education, I have held teaching and leadership roles across a range of primary school settings.

My experience includes:

• classroom teaching across the primary years

• school leadership and curriculum development

• learning support and intervention

• literacy assessment and progress monitoring

• evidence-based reading, spelling and writing instruction

• supporting students with dyslexia and other literacy learning difficulties

• working collaboratively with families, teachers and allied professionals

This combination of classroom, leadership and specialist literacy experience allows me to consider not only the individual skills a child needs to develop, but also how those needs fit within the demands of school and the wider curriculum.

Early Literacy Expertise

My early childhood background has given me extensive experience in the foundations of literacy development, including oral language, phonological and phonemic awareness, early decoding, spelling and emergent writing.

Understanding how these skills develop and recognising when development is not progressing as expected helps me identify the support a child may need before difficulties become more established.

Professional Learning

My professional learning has included training in evidence-based literacy assessment and intervention approaches, including structured literacy principles and programs such as MiniLit and MacqLit.

I am committed to ongoing professional learning and to using current evidence to inform my practice.

Professional Member – SPELD NSW
Current Working With Children Check

A Personalised Path Forward

Children can experience literacy difficulties for many different reasons, and families do not always know what kind of support is needed when they first make contact.

The first step is simply a conversation.

A parent consultation provides an opportunity to discuss your child’s learning history, current concerns and goals, and to consider the most appropriate next steps.