Supporting literacy growth with expertise, structure and care
Jess Manton Education provides evidence-informed literacy and English support for students from Kindergarten to Year 12.
Through structured teaching, personalised pathways and expert educators, we help learners strengthen skills, build confidence and make meaningful progress.
Our Approach
Structured & Explicit
Clear, systematic teaching that builds strong literacy and English foundations.
Responsive Support
Teaching tailored to individual strengths, needs and learning goals.
Evidence-Informed Practice
Approaches guided by research and best-practice literacy instruction.
Builds Confidence & Independence
Supporting learners to develop capability, resilience and long-term success.
Structured support designed for meaningful growth
We combine evidence-informed teaching with personalised support to help learners build stronger skills, confidence and independence.
Meet Jess Manton
Jess began her career as a secondary English teacher before developing a specialist focus in literacy intervention and structured literacy practice.
Over the past 15 years, she has worked with students across primary and secondary settings, supporting children and teenagers with a broad range of literacy and English learning needs. She has also held literacy leadership roles and led professional learning in evidence-informed writing instruction and school-based literacy approaches.
Jess holds a Master of Education (Language and Literacy) and is an accredited Multisensory Structured Language Practitioner through the Australian Dyslexia Association.
Her work is grounded in the belief that literacy is foundational to educational access, confidence and opportunity, and that students experiencing literacy difficulties deserve teaching that is explicit, responsive and carefully matched to their learning needs.
Jess founded Jess Manton Education to provide structured, evidence-informed literacy and English support within calm, supportive learning environments for students from Kindergarten to Year 12.
Alongside Jess is a small team of educators who share the same commitment to explicit teaching, carefully structured support and responsive learning environments.
Qualifications & Professional Training
Master of Education (Language and Literacy), Australia Catholic University, 2019
Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Arts (English), University of Newcastle, 2010
Accredited MSL Practitioner, Institute of Multisensory Structured Language, 2021
Approved SPELD NSW Referral Database - Tutor
Associate Member Australia Dyslexia Association.
Evidence-Informed Learning Support
Explicit, cumulative and relational
We believe strong learning outcomes are built through clear, structured teaching that develops skills over time.
Learning is carefully sequenced to strengthen understanding, while positive relationships create supportive environments where students feel confident to learn and grow.
Supporting Diverse Learners
We work with students with a wide range of literacy profiles and learning needs.
Students attending our sessions may have dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, autism or other neurodivergent learning profiles, or may simply benefit from carefully paced teaching, smaller learning environments and additional supported practice.
Meet our team
Leisa Merrick
Literacy Educator
Leisa is an experienced primary teacher and accredited Multisensory Structured Language (MSL) Practitioner with a strong interest in literacy intervention and supporting neurodivergent learners.
She is passionate about creating calm, supportive learning environments where students feel safe to take risks, build confidence and develop positive experiences with reading and writing. Her approach combines carefully structured teaching with warmth, encouragement and responsive support tailored to each learner.
Leisa works closely with students requiring additional support with literacy development and values building strong relationships with both children and families.
Outside of teaching, Leisa enjoys spending time outdoors with a book and a cup of tea, practising yoga and being with her family.
Claire Gerke
Secondary english Educator
Claire is an experienced secondary teacher with over 40 years of teaching experience across junior and senior English and Geography.
Claire has a particular interest in supporting senior students as they prepare for the HSC, with strengths in analytical and creative writing instruction.
Claire believes students learn best when they feel welcomed, supported and safe within their learning environment. Her approach focuses on building confidence, developing strong relationships and helping each student experience success at their own pace.
She is passionate about supporting a wide range of learners, including neurodivergent students, through calm, responsive and encouraging teaching practices.
Outside of teaching, Claire enjoys gardening, swimming, reading and a variety of creative crafts.
Kate McCarron
Literacy Educator
Kate is an allied health assistant and literacy intervention specialist currently completing a Bachelor of Speech Pathology.
She is Sounds-Write trained and has a strong interest in literacy development and neurodiverse-affirming practice.
Kate is passionate about recognising and building on students’ individual strengths and interests to support engagement, confidence and literacy growth.
Her approach focuses on creating calm, supportive learning environments where students feel safe, capable and actively involved in their learning.
She values collaborative, responsive teaching practices that help students experience meaningful success while developing confidence in reading, spelling and language skills.
Outside of work, Kate enjoys coastal walks, whale watching, ocean swimming, reading and spending time with her family.
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tom bedwell
Secondary English educator
Tom is currently a high school English teacher of eleven years, with expertise in Stage 6 English, advanced junior streams, mixed-ability classrooms, and literacy classes. After teaching in Sydney for three years , Tom moved to the Mid North Coast in 2017 to pursue professional opportunities in the public and Catholic systems, and to enjoy more space for his young family to thrive in a beautiful part of the world. In a decade of private tutoring, Tom has strong and varied experience with mainstream, neurodivergent and advanced learners, all with proven results.
Tom is passionate about creating engaging and structured learning environments to help students build their confidence in their literacy, facilitating their ability to negotiate a world which requires in-depth critical thinking skills.
Tom enjoys spending quality time with his family of five, often surfing, swimming and walking our local beaches and the South Coast of NSW.
Approaches & Professional Learning
Our practice draws on evidence-informed approaches to literacy, language and writing instruction, informed by professional learning and experience.
Literacy & Reading Intervention
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The Code, Liz Kane Literacy
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Sounds-Write
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Multisensory Structured Language Education (IMSLE)
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Anita Archer’s REWARDS Program
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Read Write Inc. Fresh Start
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Little Learners Love Literacy
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UFLI Foundations
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Decodable Readers Australia
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Edunook Phonics Quest & Morpheme Quest
Writing Instruction
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The Writing Revolution
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The Writing Rope
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William Van Cleave’s sentence-level writing approaches
Frequently Asked Questions
