Services
Assessments
Intervention (tutoring)
Parent Support Groups
Other services
Assessments
Comprehensive assessments can be conducted by the Psychologist at Lallo Yellow Literacy when there is the need to formally assess the nature of learning difficulties.
Cognitive and Educational Assessments are available for 6-16 year olds. Phonological processing and attention regulation can also be assessed. Further information about the process can be explained on a case-by-case basis.
The assessment process varies according to the referral questions, and at a minimum includes a parent background session, assessment session(s) with the child, a feedback session and comprehensive report.
Fees for the assessment can vary between $800-$1450 depending on the number of components. Core assessments commonly used include the WISC-V and WIAT-IIIA&NZ (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 5th Edition, and Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, 3rd Edition, Australian and New Zealand version), and the CTOPP-II (Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing).
[The assessments available at Lallo include the WISC-V, WIAT-III, CTOPP-2, TOWL-4, YARC, WPPSI-IV, TOWRE-2, RAN/RAS, CHAMP, WASI-II, and Conners-4].
Intervention (tutoring)
Evidence-based individual tutoring sessions are available for children with literacy difficulties, with session plans based on the Science of Reading. The prime age range for Lallo literacy interventions is 5-10 years of age.
There are many reasons why parents might seek literacy tutoring for their child during primary school. Parents may be concerned that their child is not learning to read as easily as could be expected, or the school might have raised concerns. COVID-19 lockdowns may have led to gaps in the foundations of reading, or there may be gaps from schools not teaching phonics.
Sessions focus on reading and spelling, with some extended writing. Some children are recommended to seek 6-12 months of evidence-based structured explicit synthetic phonics intervention as part of the process of assessing whether they have a learning disorder in reading.
Literacy support can be provided for students with any types of difficulties – whether attentional, intellectual, motivational, neurodevelopmental, linguistic/cultural, emotional, or experiential (including poor instruction).
Tutors at Lallo are trained Sounds Write* practitioners.
Tutoring takes place at Lallo in Carlton. A small number of after-school session times are available. Most sessions will be held in school hours, and typically it is preferred that the child does not miss literacy teaching time at school to attend.
Fees:
Standard rates: $105 for 45 mins or $125 for 60 mins
Families that have NDIS for another reason (such as Autism Level 2) are welcome to contact us to discuss whether Lallo sessions might align with your goals for your child, such as accessing written communication, building future independence or employment prospects. Please contact us regarding fees, goals and let us know whether you are self-managed or plan managed.
Low income healthcare card holder (LIHCC) rates: $25 for 45 mins or $33 for 60 mins. A small number of places are reserved for LIHCC families to see Madeleine Valibhoy (currently full).
[*Further information about Sounds Write can be found here: https://sounds-write.co.uk]
Parent support groups
Helping a child with literacy learning difficulties at home can be very challenging, and online evening parent support groups are designed to help parents help their child.
Attendance at a four-session online evening parent support group is intended to help parents in the following areas:
Meeting with other parents in similar situations to share challenges and successes
Learning strategies for teaching/supporting literacy at home
Discussing barriers and solutions to dealing with learning difficulties, and tips for advocating for your child
Parenting stress management tips in the context of parenting a child with learning difficulties
Online evening support groups are run by the Psychologist. Timing is weeks 2, 4, 6 and 8 of term time, and sessions are 75 minutes. Parents of primary school aged children are the target group. Fees:
$45 per head per session (commitment of attending 4 sessions preferred)
$15 per session for LIHCC holders
Other Services
Other services available at Lallo include:
Executive functioning strategies sessions (e.g., discuss and plan strategies for managing organisational and concentration difficulties).
School readiness sessions (e.g., parent consultations about school readiness strategies for their child)
Interpretation and actioning recommendations of past Psychologist assessment reports
Giftedness assessments
Intellectual Disability assessments