Dyslexia Assessments in Melbourne
You know your child is struggling with reading or spelling. You just need someone to finally explain why.
Families often come to us looking for dyslexia testing, a dyslexia diagnosis, or a clearer understanding of why their child is struggling with reading, spelling, writing, fluency or school confidence.
At Little Voices Speech Pathology, we provide comprehensive dyslexia assessments for children and teenagers in Melbourne, regional Victoria and via telehealth where suitable. Our assessments examine: reading accuracy, reading fluency, spelling, phonological processing, rapid automatised naming, orthographic processing, written language and related language-literacy skills.
Assessments can support formal identification or diagnosis of dyslexia where appropriate, along with a written report, practical recommendations, school support guidance and advice about intervention and accommodations.
If you are not sure whether your child needs a full dyslexia assessment, a screening assessment or another type of support, you can make an enquiry and our team will help guide the next step.
When reading and spelling struggles do not make sense
Maybe you have spent months, or even years, trying to understand why reading and spelling are still so hard for your child.
You've tried extra reading practice, tutoring, school support, sounding out words at home, and endless Google searches late at night.
But despite all the effort, your child is still struggling.
And underneath it all is the question that won't go away:
“Why is this so hard for them?”
A dyslexia assessment may be helpful if your child:
reads slowly, inaccurately or with a lot of effort
guesses words or avoids reading aloud
struggles to sound out unfamiliar words
has ongoing spelling difficulties, even after extra practice
forgets letter-sound patterns they have already been taught
can understand stories and ideas when listening, but struggles when reading independently
becomes tired, frustrated or overwhelmed by reading, writing or homework
has strong ideas verbally, but difficulty getting them onto paper
is falling behind despite extra help
is bright and capable, but schoolwork is much harder than expected
You do not need to know whether your child has dyslexia before you contact us. The purpose of the assessment process is to help explain what is happening and what support is likely to help.
Many parents come to us after months, sometimes years, of feeling unsure. Their child is bright, capable and trying hard, yet reading, spelling or writing still feels much harder than it should.
Perhaps you’ve been told:
• “They’ll catch up eventually.”
• “Some children just learn differently.”
• “Let’s wait and see.”
You’re probably feeling overwhelmed right now
But deep down, you know something isn’t adding up. Your child may be:
• avoiding reading, writing or homework
• crying over schoolwork or becoming anxious about going to school
• working twice as hard as everyone else just to keep up
• losing confidence and saying things like “I’m dumb” or “I’m just not good at this”
• falling further behind despite extra help
Meanwhile, you’re left trying to figure out:
Is this dyslexia?
Who can actually help?
Am I missing something important?
You are not alone. And you do not have to keep guessing.
A dyslexia assessment is about finally understanding why your child is struggling, what’s happening beneath the surface, and how to support them effectively moving forward.
More than a diagnosis
For many families, the greatest relief comes from finally being able to say:
“Now it all makes sense.”
When you understand the why, you can stop second-guessing yourself and start making confident decisions for your child.
Not every child needs a full diagnostic assessment immediately
At Little Voices, we take an individualised approach to assessment.
In some situations, a comprehensive diagnostic assessment is clearly the right next step. However, there are also times where a screening assessment may be more appropriate initially.
For example, if:
your child has had very little literacy intervention so far
you are still trying to understand what may be contributing to their difficulties
concerns are relatively mild or unclear
there are multiple possible contributing factors
you would like guidance around whether further assessment is recommended
A screening assessment can help identify whether your child is showing signs consistent with dyslexia or other literacy difficulties, while also helping guide appropriate next steps.
Our goal is to recommend the level of assessment that is most appropriate and meaningful for your child, not simply the most comprehensive option.
If a full diagnostic assessment is recommended later, the information gathered during screening can often still provide valuable insight and direction.
Not sure which assessment pathway is right for your child?
Do you need a psychologist for a dyslexia assessment?
Speech pathologists with advanced training in literacy and dyslexia can assess these areas and provide a dyslexia diagnosis when it is within their professional scope and the child’s profile supports that conclusion.
A psychologist may be helpful when there are broader concerns about intellectual development, attention, autism, mental health, complex learning needs or when a cognitive assessment is specifically required.
However, dyslexia itself is identified through a detailed assessment of reading, spelling and the underlying skills that support literacy, including phonological processing, rapid naming, orthographic processing, reading fluency and written language.
What makes our dyslexia assessments different?
Many assessments can tell you that a child is struggling. Our goal is to understand why.
At Little Voices, we look closely at the underlying skills that support reading, spelling and written language. This helps us build a detailed picture of your child’s learning profile. Not just whether they are struggling, but the specific reasons behind it.
We assess areas including:
• phonological processing
• rapid automatised naming
• orthographic processing
• working memory
• processing speed
• reading accuracy and fluency
• spelling development
• written language skills
Dyslexia assessment options and fees
We offer two assessment pathways, depending on what your child needs.
Focused literacy screening — $495
This option is helpful if you are unsure whether your child needs a full dyslexia assessment. It provides initial information about your child’s reading and spelling profile and helps guide the next step.
Full diagnostic dyslexia assessment — $1525
This option is recommended when your child has persistent reading, spelling or writing difficulties and a formal diagnosis is being considered. It includes a comprehensive assessment, written report, diagnosis where appropriate, and recommendations for home, school and intervention.
After you contact us, we will help you work out which option is most appropriate, so you are not paying for more assessment than your child needs.
This deeper understanding allows us to provide recommendations that are specific, practical and meaningful for both home and school. Not just a label, but a clear plan.
Why families choose Little Voices
Little Voices Speech Pathology has a strong focus on dyslexia, literacy and language-based learning difficulties.
Elise Cassidy is a Speech Pathologist with almost 30 years of experience supporting children with communication, literacy and learning needs. She has completed extensive additional training in dyslexia and structured literacy, has presented for organisations including Little Learners Love Literacy and SPELD Victoria, and is a founding member of Code Read Dyslexia Network
We support families across Melbourne, with many travelling from regional Victoria and interstate for our specialist assessments.
Our assessments are designed to be:
• thorough and evidence-based
• child-friendly and low-pressure
• clearly explained in plain language parents can actually use
• useful for schools and accommodation applications
• focused on practical next steps, not just a diagnosis
We know that families don’t just need a report. They need clarity, guidance and a plan.
Our assessment process
We aim to make the process structured, supportive, and easy to navigate.
1. Parent consultation
We begin by talking with you about your concerns, your child’s history, school progress, previous support and current challenges. This helps us understand the bigger picture before your child begins formal assessment.
2. Comprehensive assessment session
Your child completes a range of assessment tasks exploring reading, spelling, writing and the underlying skills that may be impacting literacy development. We aim to make the process calm and encouraging, especially for children who may already feel anxious about learning.
3. Analysis and written report
We carefully analyse the results and prepare a detailed report outlining:
your child’s strengths
areas of difficulty and learning profile
school support and guidance
practical recommendations for intervention and home support
accommodations and classroom adjustments.
4. Feedback session
We meet with you to explain the results in clear, parent-friendly language. Where appropriate, we can also meet with relevant school staff so they understand your child’s profile, recommendations and support needs.
What you’ll gain from the assessment
Our goal is for you to leave feeling more informed, more confident and better equipped to support your child.
After your child’s assessment, you will have:
• a clear understanding of your child’s strengths and challenges
• insight into whether dyslexia is present
• a detailed written report
• practical recommendations for home and school
• guidance around appropriate intervention approaches
• recommendations for classroom adjustments and exam accommodations
• support to understand what to ask for at school
• a clearer pathway forward
What happens after the assessment?
You’ll leave not just with answers, but with a clear plan.
Assessment is just the beginning.
We can support you with:
Structured literacy intervention
Ongoing literacy support
School advocacy and accommodations
Guidance around assistive technology
Supporting your child’s confidence and self-belief
Dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence
Without the right support, many children begin to believe they are lazy, “not trying hard enough,” or simply “not smart.”
But dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence. Many children with dyslexia are bright, capable, creative thinkers who have simply been struggling without the right understanding or support.
When children finally understand why learning has felt so difficult, something powerful happens:
• shame decreases
• confidence grows
• and learning becomes possible again
Early understanding leads to more targeted support, and often a significant shift in confidence.
Many families are told to wait and see. But when a child is struggling, waiting can mean more frustration, more avoidance and a bigger impact on their sense of self.
Ready to get clear answers?
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime. If you’re feeling ready, make an enquiry and our team can help guide the next step.
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No, support can begin based on your child’s needs. However, an assessment can help guide targeted intervention and support long-term planning.
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A child can receive a screening assessment for dyslexia from the age of 4 years, as signs are apparent in preschool. A full dyslexia diagnosis can be done once a child has had 6 months of appropriate literacy teaching.
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Yes, our reports provide detailed, evidence-based information that can be used to support school discussions and planning. Our reports can also be used for applying for accommodations in exams.
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Yes. Speech pathologists with advanced training in literacy and dyslexia can assess the reading, spelling and underlying language-based skills associated with dyslexia. When dyslexia is within the speech pathologist’s professional scope and the child’s assessment profile supports it, a dyslexia diagnosis can be provided.
A psychologist may also be helpful when there are broader concerns about intellectual development, attention, autism, mental health, complex learning needs, or when a cognitive assessment is specifically required. For more information on this, read my blog post: Can a Speech Pathologist diagnose dyslexia?
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Not always. A cognitive assessment may be useful when there are broader concerns about learning, attention, development or complex needs. However, dyslexia can often be assessed through a detailed literacy and language-based assessment without requiring a full cognitive assessment.
If you’d like to better understand dyslexia diagnosis and what it means for your child, you may find these helpful: