How Speech Pathologists Also Help Children Become Confident Readers and Spellers

When most people think of speech pathologists, they think about helping children say their sounds correctly, like turning “tar” into “car.” And while that’s absolutely true, did you know that speech pathologists also help children learn to read, write, and spell? 

It makes sense when you think about it; reading and spelling are just another way we, as humans, use language. And as speech pathologists, language is our specialty! 

Why Reading and Spelling Matter 

Although strong reading and writing skills are the foundation of all learning, being able to read and write confidently is about so much more than doing well in school. Literacy affects almost every aspect of daily life.

Here is why it is so important: 

• At School: Reading helps children learn across every subject, from science, history to math problems. When kids can read and spell with confidence, learning becomes less frustrating and more enjoyable overall. 

• At Work: Good literacy skills support your role and may lead to opportunities later in life with both work and study.

• With Friends: Texting, messaging, and social media all rely on being able to read and write. Strong literacy skills in this respect can help children and adults communicate and feel connected with others. 

• In Daily Life: From reading signs, labels, and menus, to following recipes and instructions, strong literacy skills help us stay safe, independent, and confident in everyday situations. 

When children struggle with reading or spelling, it can affect their confidence and their ability to participate at their best in school and beyond. The good news is that support really helps, and that is where we come in. 

How Literacy Develops 

Before School: Early Literacy 

Children start building literacy skills long before they enter the classroom! In the preschool years, play, conversation, and shared reading lay the foundation for future reading and writing skills. 

These early literacy skills include: 

• Hearing and playing with sounds in words (like clapping out syllables or rhyming). 

• Learning how books work, knowing where the story starts, and what the words and pictures do. 

• Recognising letters and the sounds they make.

The more children are exposed to books, songs, and conversations early in life, the better prepared they are to learn to read when they start school. 

At School: Learning to Read and Spell  

When children begin primary school, they start to learn how to match letters with sounds, this is called phonics. Reading involves two key skills: 

• Decoding: Sounding out and recognising written words. 

• Comprehension: Understanding what those words mean. 

Research shows that children learn best when they are explicitly taught how our written language works. This includes: 

• Knowing that letters represent sounds (phonics). 

• Hearing and working with sounds in words (phonemic awareness). 

• Reading accurately and fluently. 

• Building a wide vocabulary and a strong understanding of grammar. 

• Making sense of what they read. 

As children grow older, reading becomes the primary way they acquire new words and ideas. That is why early, adequate reading support is so important, as it sets them up for success later. 

How Speech Pathologists Can Help 

Speech pathologists understand the inextricable link between spoken language and written language. Children need a strong foundation in oral language, things like vocabulary, sentence structure, and understanding stories, before they can learn to read and spell effectively. 

We can: 

• Assess your child’s language, reading, and spelling skills to understand their strengths and identify areas where they may need support. 

• Provide therapy that targets the building blocks of reading and spelling, including sounds, words, and understanding. 

• Work closely with families, teachers, and support networks to ensure your child receives consistent support at home and at school. 

At Milestones Kids Therapy Hub, our number one goal is always to help children feel confident, capable, and proud of their progress. 

When Speech Sounds and Reading Connect 

Children who have difficulty saying certain speech sounds (for example, saying “tat” for “cat”) sometimes also find reading and spelling tricky later on. 

That is because both speech and reading rely on the same skills: recognising and working with sounds in words. If a child cannot clearly hear or produce the sounds in speech, it can be harder to match those sounds to letters when reading or spelling. 

By helping children with their speech and sound awareness early, speech pathologists also strengthen the foundation they will use for literacy. 

Our Approach at Milestones  

At our clinic, our speech pathologists are trained in Sounds-Write, a research-based program used across Australia and internationally. 

Sounds-Write teaches children to read and spell using a straightforward, step-by-step approach that focuses on: 

• Understanding how sounds and letters work together.

• Building strong decoding, blending, segmenting, and phoneme manipulation skills.

• Gaining confidence and independence as readers.

It is a fun, structured, and effective program that fits perfectly with what we know from the research it is backed up by, which tells us how children learn to read best. 

The Bottom Line 

Speech pathologists do much more than help with “speech.” We help children understand and use language both spoken and written, so they can communicate, learn, and better connect with the world around them. 

Helping children learn to read and spell is one of the most powerful ways we can support their confidence and future success. 

If you have concerns about your child’s reading, spelling, or language development, a speech pathologist can help guide you on the next steps. 

Reach Out to Milestones Kids Therapy Hub 

If you have any questions about how our speech pathologists at Milestones Kids Therapy Hub can help support your child’s literacy skills or would like to schedule an appointment with our clinic, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We provide in-depth family-centred assessments and tailored therapy to help support your child’s growth. 

📞 Call us on 8201 3599 or click here to book an assessment today.

Blog written by Annalisa Naamo, Speech Pathologist