About Madeleine Valibhoy:

I have worked with children for more than 20 years and as a registered Clinical Psychologist specialised with children since 2009, and have developed a passion for literacy issues (due to my experience at work conducting dyslexia assessments, my concern about many students struggling from Melbourne’s lockdowns, and some issues on the home-front with one of my three children).

My style of conducting cognitive and educational assessments is highly comprehensive and focused on making this a helpful, comfortable and accessible process for children and parents. For literacy interventions, I draw on experience as a trained Sounds Write practitioner, and years of experience with the Fitzroy Method. For parent online support groups, I draw on my experience supporting clients with difficult situations as a Psychologist and also principles of adult learning and capacity building, as I have lecturing and tutoring experience across three universities. I work at Lallo part-time, and conduct school readiness sessions in kindergartens. I am experienced with children who have/may have SLDs/Dyslexia, ADHD, ASD, ID, SPD, 2E, and emotional barriers (e.g. anxiety, low confidence) to literacy. I have worked in the NGO sector, community health, schools and private practice.

I am proud of launching Lallo Yellow Literacy in keeping with my passion for helping children learn to read.

Team:

Fadzai Jaravaza (Zai)  

Zai is a certified Sounds-Write practitioner, performance poet and a PhD candidate in Creative Writing at the University of Melbourne.

Based on over sixteen years of experience as an educator, storyteller and community arts worker with young people and communities in Australia, Denmark and Zimbabwe as well as her prior studies in Arts and Law, Zai won a highly competitive PhD scholarship to undertake a doctorate in Afrofuturisms (Black Speculative Fiction).

Through the use of evidence-based reading and writing methods, encouraging the use of their imaginations and keen observation of their immediate environment, Zai is motivated to develop literacy amongst young readers and writers.

“As a literacy intervention tutor, I custom design fun and engaged sessions. I want students to feel welcome and safe to explore their story ideas while improving spelling and grammar skills and building up their confidence in reading out loud and writing their own stories.”