Start Smart Tasmania

15/10/2025

We have a couple of open intervention places this term - 1 spot left for maths, 3 for high school literacy (1 online) and 1 for primary school literacy. If your child needs some extra support, give us a call on 63 888 457.

14/10/2025

Bookings now open for our next Launceston Speech Pathology Assistants Network Meeting!

26/08/2025

Start Smart Tasmania now has limited vacancies for our evidence-based structured literacy intervention! 📝✨

Our qualified instructors use an explicit, multi-sensory approach – the gold standard for dyslexia support – in 1:1 hour-long sessions.

Spots won’t last – give us a call on 63 888 457 for more information.

15/08/2025

✨ We’ve got exciting news – there are spots available in our 1:1 Maths Intervention Program! ✨
Perfect for students who need a confidence boost and extra support, our program is designed for those working below the expected standard. With fun, personalised lessons and plenty of encouragement, we help students build skills, understanding, and a 'can-do' attitude towards maths. Contact us on 63 888 457 for more information.

02/08/2025

We are sad to hear of the passing of celebrated children's author Allan Ahlberg (1938 - 2025).

Ahlberg's first book came when late wife Janet Ahlberg asked for him to write a children's book she could illustrate. 'Here are the Brick Street Boys' was published in 1975 and was the first of over 150 books Allan wrote over the span of his career. Many of Allan's most beloved titles were created from this author-illustrator/husband-wife duo, including 'The Jolly Postman' and 'Each Peach Pear Plum'. These classics continue to be shared and cherished from generation to generation.

A heartfelt thank you to Allan for his long-lasting contributions to children's literature.

23/07/2025

Our next meeting for the Launceston Speech Pathology Assistants Network (L-SPAN) is on Monday 18th August. Book now ☺️

08/07/2025

Next Dyslexia workshop for school staff on Friday 1st August. Book now ☺️

28/06/2025

We are proud and excited to introduce Launceston's newest International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs), Maddy Cameron, Osteopath and Tania Innes, Speech Pathologist.

14/05/2025

We're hiring!
We are looking for a speech pathologist with a keen interest in speech, fluency, feeding/swallowing/lactation, and orofacial myofunctional disorders.
Please share with anyone who you think may be interested ☺️

10/05/2025

08/05/2025

A wonderful experience to work with the dedicated educators from Tasmania's independent schools.

The Power of Screening Assessment: Turning Data into Action in Early Years Education

At Independent Schools Tasmania, we are great believers in the power of assessment but only when time is taken to unpack data and use it to inform teaching and learning.

This year, as Tasmanian early educators implemented the mandatory Grammar and Phonology Screener (GAPS), IST recognised an opportunity to provide crucial support. We therefore organised specialised professional learning sessions in partnership with the team at Start Smart, designed specifically for our Kindergarten and Prep teachers. These sessions focused on enhancing children's oral language, grammar, and phonology skills, with special attention to supporting students identified as at-risk through the GAPS assessment.

The importance of this early identification work cannot be overstated - research consistently demonstrates that literacy trajectories can be established as early as kindergarten. Early, targeted intervention provides the best opportunity to help vulnerable students close gaps before they widen, setting them on a path to educational success.

Our amazing session facilitators, Tania Innes and Clare Weare from Start Smart, brought a wonderful blend of expertise that translated theory into practical classroom strategies. Tania shared invaluable insights from her 25+ years as a Speech Language Pathologist in early intervention settings, while Clare complemented this with her perspective as an experienced educator with over 20 years working with students with special learning needs across Australia. She holds a Master of Education (Special Education).

We were truly heartened by the turnout of dedicated educators from across our schools and for their engagement in the sessions! For those who couldn't join us this time, we're planning to repeat the session in November—please spread the word to interested colleagues.



It’s so motivating to know that we can truly make a difference to our youngest learners' outcomes through thoughtful assessment, intentional practice and targeted support.

04/04/2025

A fascinating podcast with Vincent Fantauzzo, one of Australia’s most successful portrait artists, in which he reflects on how dyslexia and ADHD have influenced his life.

*Language warning

When artist Vincent Fantauzzo was a boy he was a street-fighting petty criminal with dyslexia and a blazing talent for drawing. He escaped jail time, and grew up to become one of Australia's most well-known portrait artists. VIncent Fantauzzo is one of Australia's most successful portrait artists. F...