Amanda Kranz - Education Consultant

01/06/2023

NeuroWild thank you for creating this amazing graphic!!

08/04/2022

The Autism spectrum is NOT linear.

For a deeper dive by more Autistic voices, please see:
◾ "Understanding the Spectrum", a comic strip explanation by Rebecca Burgess via The Art of Autism (tinyurl.com/y84rwhmp)
◾ From CL Lynch of NeuroClastic, '"Autism Is A Spectrum" Doesn't Mean What You Think' (tinyurl.com/y3h8gqzx)
◾ "The Problems With Functioning Labels" by Finn Gardener via The Thinking Person's Guide to Autism (tinyurl.com/vxtbfy7)

Image credit: AutismSketches

24/03/2022

Inclusive education is about enabling all students to achieve their potential, whatever their learning profile. It makes me sad when I see debates online that pit the needs of students with learning difficulties against those of students who are highly able/gifted. Not only does this ignore the fact that students can be both (i.e. have a learning difficulty AND be gifted), but it prioritises one exceptionality over another.

ANY child whose needs are not being met in the classroom is at risk of poor social/emotional outcomes.

UDL (Universal Design for Learning) is a wonderful framework to help educators build inclusivity into their teaching practice in a way that is both manageable and supported by research. See https://udlguidelines.cast.org/ for more information.

10/08/2021

Am loving these TikToks from Matt Johns...such a fun way to introduce etymology to students!

Matt Johns () has created a short video on TikTok with music Monkeys Spinning Monkeys. | I guess villagers were all untrustworthy villains then, hey? | Children | Things I teach | I think adults would froth....

19/05/2021

Some parents might relate to this...

30/03/2021

Hands up who's ever been brought to tears over a homework task. 🙋‍♀️

Here's the first article in a new series that I'm writing about homework tasks we need to ditch - #1: The Open-Ended Research Task

https://www.amandakranz.com.au/post/homework-tasks-we-need-to-ditch-1

The Open-Ended Research Task Research the impact of environmental degradation on an animal of your choice. Explain how Australia’s legal system differs to that of another country. Select a local Aboriginal clan and describe the impact of conflict on their way of life. The above are all examples of...

16/02/2021

One for the teachers...

Check out this fantastic program on gifted learners with disabilities being offered by Dr. Geraldine Townend through UNSW's GERRIC Centre. An online course suitable for interstate participants is being run in July.

Geraldine is my Ed.D supervisor and is both super knowledgable and super lovely.

Covers: teaching strategies to cater for 2e learners in your classroom, writing ILPs that address both strengths and weaknesses, and identification of 2e kids.

Gifted students with disability are found across global research to be the least likely to be identified, and supported, in school.

11/02/2021

My exciting news. In 2021 I'll be diving headfirst into more study - this time exploring twice-exceptionality (or, more specifically, gifted dyslexic learners). The goal of my research will be to raise the profile of both gifted and dyslexic students in Australian schools through the delivery of a targeted intervention, extension and self-advocacy program for students in Grades 5 & 6. Although it will be a challenge juggling the demands of work, family and study, what's life without a few mountains to climb?

05/02/2021

Here are some upcoming classes that still have a few slots! Join us.

28/01/2021

28/01/2021

...and Kmart delivers again! 🤩
Learn About Fractions - $8
Learning About Money Kit - $12
Teach the Time - $8
Sums with 10 - $8
Magnetic Alphabet - $10

27/01/2021

06/12/2020

Our plea 🙏🏼 to schools…

When students are struggling with reading, we need to take the time to find out WHY.

Is the issue decoding-related? Is the issue language-related? Is the issue attention-related?

Let's get to the heart ❤️ of the problem.

The NATURE of the difficulty should determine the TYPE of support offered.

Let’s abandon the one-size-fits-all approach to INTERVENTION.

TARGETED intervention and support that is guided by TARGETED assessment saves time ⏳, money 💰 and immeasurable heartache 😔.

If your school would like to collaborate with The Dyslexia Hub to
review and revitalise your:
* literacy assessment toolkit
* use of assistive technology in the classroom
* ILP/IEP documentation, and/or
* approach to literacy support and intervention
..from January 2021 we'll be offering a range of new school support services - to both primary and secondary schools - including:

🗂 school assessment/IEP/intervention reviews

✏️ language & literacy screening and assessment

📖 teacher PD

Our ultimate goal is to help schools refine their processes to ensure that students at risk of language and literacy difficulties are being quickly and effectively-identified and supported.

Please get in touch if you would like to arrange a FREE initial consult.

31/10/2020

We're looking to expand our team. Please share with anyone you know who might be interested.

DO WHAT YOU LOVE & MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

This is a callout to any teaching or allied health professionals out there considering a move into private practice - either now or in 2021. We’re looking for suitably qualified specialist teachers, speech pathologists, psychologists and OTs to join the team at The Dyslexia Hub in Greensborough.

* We’re currently a team of 8 – mainly specialist teachers and speech pathologists - all total Science of Reading nerds and all super passionate about working with neuro-diverse kids & teens.

* Although you’ll operate as an independent practitioner (so can set your own fees, work hours etc.), you’ll get the many benefits of working as part of a team – referrals, collaboration, support and resource-sharing. It’s the best of both worlds!

* We offer a great central location (close to the train station, Greensborough Plaza & Watermarc), well-appointed rooms, an amazing decodable book and SoR resource library and very competitive room rental rates. What's not to love about that?
https://www.thedyslexiahub.com.au/

If you're unsure if you have the right qualifications or experience to work at The Hub, please get in touch. We value passion, commitment, initiative and a willingness to learn over all else, and we're more than happy to mentor those new to private practice.

For more info, please email Amanda – kranz.amanda@gmail.com.

22/10/2020

Requests this week have been for assistance in anxiety relief. Breaks my heart to see kids suffering symptoms of anxiety or even doubt as they journey back to school.
I am offering 45min sessions 1:1 to all school age kids...as young as 5 up to 17!!

*feel free to share if you know someone who may benefit.

09/10/2020

A little story I wrote for all of those people out there who claim that structured literacy instruction is not a necessity in schools.

I met a woman who claimed that the flowers in her garden didn’t require water or sunlight to grow. Instead, she lovingly and attentively sang to them daily and, in response, her flowers flourished. She reluctantly admitted that her poor indoor plants didn’t fare as well on this diet of The Beatl...

02/10/2020

Such a fantastic article about reading comprehension. In short - ditch the single-focus comprehension strategies lessons where students are asked to predict, summarise, find the main idea etc. > focus instead on building background knowledge, vocabulary and familiarity with literary structures by studying one text (and its social/historical context) in depth. As a former Humanities teacher, this is music to my ears!

https://medium.com/solomonkingsnorth/reading-comprehension-a-new-approach-570d39ffac79

18/09/2020

"The first step was carving out 20 minutes a day for years 7 to 10 to focus on grammar, punctuation and spelling."

"The greater challenge was ensuring the students had a strong understanding of how sentences worked, so by the time they reached senior years and high-stakes exams loomed, they could direct their mental energy into working out what to say, rather than how to say it."

Boys are twice as likely as girls to perform poorly in English, but Balgowlah Boys High students have been finishing near the top of the state. The principal's strategy is deceptively simple.