Experience

Eastern College Australia

• Australia
• Higher Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Adjunct lecturer

  • Jul 2015 - Present

  Leonie has recently taken up a position of lecturing in the Bachelor of Education course in the area of Special Needs/Inclusion. Leonie is writing the course and presenting it weekly. Leonie has recently taken up a position of lecturing in the Bachelor of Education course in the area of Special Needs/Inclusion. Leonie is writing the course and presenting it weekly.



Think n Play

• Director Think n Play

  • Oct 2013 - Present

  Think n Play is a special needs tutoring school in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. which aims to support the learning of students in the general curriculum areas of literacy and numeracy, encompassing reading comprehension via reading aloud to achieve fluency and phrasing and identifying literal, critical, inferential and creative comprehension outcomes within text. Writing skills are underpinned to deepen writing abilities, recognizing and using the forms, linguistic structures and features of written texts.Think n Play supports those students with dyslexia (a learning difficulty which primarily affects skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling) by offering successful phonological approaches coupled with multi-sensory, structured teaching methods. In addition, Think n Play staff are experienced in applying the Language Support Program as developed by Dr John Munro and extended by the Victorian DE&T. This program emphasizes the building of awareness of oral language, word meaning, vocabulary, orthographic and morphemic knowledge to support literacy. Numeracy support is underwritten by considered instruction, balanced by conceptual understanding and skill proficiency - an effective methodology combining successful facets of direct teaching with meaningful aspects of a student-centred, constructivist approach. Wherever possible, mathematical games are utilised in order to give meaning to number concepts and processes. Understanding numbers and knowing their various representations builds recognition of the relationship between numbers and meanings of operations leading to fluent, competent computations.Ashlock, R., Error patterns in computation, 2006; Booker, G., The maths game, 2000; Franks, Nicholson & Steve, Beat dyslexia, 2009; Munro, J., Language support program, 2006; Rose, J., Identifying and teaching children and young people with dyslexia and literacy difficulties, 2009; Westwood,P., Numeracy and learning difficulties, 2012.



Merriang Special Developmental School Early Years school

• Classroom Teacher

  • Jan 2016 - Aug 2016

  Leonie enjoyed teaching in the Special Developmental sector as a full time classroom teacher. Expanding experience and honing skills in this sector is both challenging and rewarding. Working with the staff, students and families at Merriang was a privilege. Leonie enjoyed teaching in the Special Developmental sector as a full time classroom teacher. Expanding experience and honing skills in this sector is both challenging and rewarding. Working with the staff, students and families at Merriang was a privilege.



Plenty Valley Christian College

• Australia
• Education Administration Programs
• 1 - 100 Employee

• P-4 Coordinator, Primary Special Education Coordinator, Numeracy Coordinator, Literacy Coordinator

  • Jul 1999 - Mar 2012

  Assessment of students in primary school for reading, mathematics, auditory, phonological awareness, dyslexia, general learning difficulties,Writing of individual learning plans for funded students,Writing of annual applications for state and federal government funding for students at risk of not meeting learning benchmarks,Liaising with outside professionals, including Psychologists, Audiologists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Pathologists, Paediatricians, and the like for assessments, reports and advice regarding enrolled students, Liaising with teachers, regarding student needs, programs and support,Liaising with parents of students with Learning Difficulties,Teaching individual students and small groups of students in their areas of need, namely Auditory Processing, Phonological Awareness, Reading, Mathematics, Dyslexia, Autism, Aspergers, general Learning Difficulties,Informing teachers regarding the most recent methods and supports to give the students in their classrooms,Planning and running information nights for parents of students with Learning Difficulties, Implementation of a phonics program to support the reading and learning needs of the students at the College,Management of a team of Special Education teachers, and Integration Aides – scheduling, planning programs, running meetings, planning outside professional development for all staff.Supporting a team of 10 lower primary staff in their curriculum, student and parent liaising.