Professional NILD Support Team (PST)
Michael Swann
MPUMELANGA
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Michael began his teaching career in 2011 and holds a B.Ed FET degree, which he earned cum laude, as well as a diploma in Drama from the South African Speech and Drama College. Driven by a desire to support his daughter following her dysgraphia diagnosis, he completed his Level 3 NILD Educational Therapy certification and Woodcock-Johnson assessment training.
Deeply committed to student well-being, Michael has a natural sharp eye for identifying learners who are struggling or feeling overwhelmed in tough environments. He makes it his mission to ensure no student falls through the cracks, actively reaching out to offer targeted support—whether that means tailoring instruction in the classroom or providing dedicated NILD therapy sessions to help them navigate complex challenges and thrive.
This personal journey sparked a strong connection to the NILD community and its core values. As a Christian, Michael values the alignment between his personal faith and the mission of NILD. He considers it a privilege to walk alongside students, celebrating their progress as they unlock their full potential. Michael proudly serves as a member of the NILD Professional Support Team.
Lara Baldrey
KWAZULU NATAL
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Lara has completed her BA in African Politics, PGCE(FET) and Honours in Special Needs Education. She is hoping to complete her Masters in the future. Her passion is for equipping learners to reach their full potential through assessment, intervention, and personalized therapies; to help restore their hope, self-belief, inquisitive natures, and determination to meet their challenges and rise….
This has led her to work at SCILD, LSEN units, and Sherwood Assessment Centre. She currently works as a Remedial Therapist at South City Christian School, assisting learners from Gr 1 to Gr 7 with their learning challenges and in her private time works as an NILD Educational Therapist.
Lara is a Level III NILD Educational Therapist, Area Support Group Leader (South Coast) and part of the Professional Support Team, as an Area Support Group coordinator.
NILD is a family, with Christian based values, professional ethos, and scientifically backed knowledge. Lara is very blessed to be part of this family.
Tanya Adey
WESTERN CAPE
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Tanya changed careers and entered the education field when her own children were completing their high schooling. She had always had a strong passion to help others and the turning point towards educational therapy came when her father had a severe stroke and needed speech Therapy and along the way was introduced to art therapy. This encouraged her to begin her studies in Psychology. Further motivation towards becoming an NILD Educational Therapist came when she had qualified as a Foundation Phase teacher through UNISA after completing her BA in Psychological Counselling also through UNISA. She began her first teaching post at an aftercare centre in Cape Town and was faced with learners that really needed extra intervention and support. She was encouraged by a then qualified therapist friend to look into the NILD courses after seeking her help in supporting the learners at the aftercare centre.
During her first 3 years of teaching Grade 1 Tanya completed her Level 1, 11 and 111 in NILD Educational therapy as well as becoming a SEARCH and TEACH practitioner. She found that even in the classroom she was drawn to those children that had learning difficulties and had a strong desire to help them overcome their learning difficulties. She is passionate about continually learning more about the underlying causes of Dyslexia and Dyscalculia and addressing these learning difficulties in learners of all ages. She is a full-time therapist in Cape Town and feels she has truly found her calling.
Tanya is a member of the NILD SA Professional Support Team and continues to be encouraged by the successes of the students she has had the privilege of helping to become more independent learners through the NILD programme.
Britt Rennie
KWAZULU NATAL
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Britt Rennie has an undergrad degree in psychology and English, PGCE in foundation phase and is a level III trained NILD Educational Therapist. Her NILD journey has had a huge impact on her and her students. She has learnt that everyone has a different brain and different ways of thinking and learning. No child should be left to feel as though they ‘can’t’ do something or become whoever they want to be. As the brain is malleable, the NILD techniques strengthen specific areas of difficulty and help learners grow into independent and confident thinkers who have a love for learning. She loves watching her students grow and how they beam with pride when they are awarded their improvement certificates at the end of each term. Her experience with NILD has ignited a passion for helping children with barriers to learning, and she is excited about sharing this. There are immense benefits to NILD Educational Therapy and she would love to see more schools on board incorporating full time therapists and learner support into their curriculums.
Tanja Fourie
CAPE TOWN
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Catherine Naranjo
SOUTH COAST KZN
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Catherine is a Level 3 trained member of NILD SA and a member of the NILD SA Professional Support Team.
After doing a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English and Psychology, she travelled overseas where she completed a CELTA course through International House. This is where her journey into the education field began. She started teaching adults, as well as children in various countries overseas and upon her return to South Africa, began to study a PGCE. She worked at a Christian school, gaining experience in teaching Senior Primary and Foundation Phase children.
Catherine has always been passionate about helping children that struggle in mainstream schooling. She spent many pro-bono hours providing extra assistance for children that struggled throughout her 13-year teaching career and even though many of them improved, there were still little individuals that couldn’t quite find their way.
One year, the answer for those struggling children came to her through one of her own students. This little person walked into her Grade 3 classroom and battled immensely through the first term. Then, miraculously, it was as if a light had turned on by the end of the second term. Catherine immediately investigated and found that this student was receiving NILD Educational Therapy. This is where her NILD journey began.
She completed her NILD level I, II, and III and Search and Teach training and after many years of teaching in the classroom, took a leap of faith at the end of 2018 and began her own practice as a NILD Educational Therapist. Her students currently range from Grade R to Grade 9.
Catherine is a firm believer in the NILD Educational Therapy program as well as in the Search and Teach intervention, as she has seen amazing results that testify to the effectiveness of NILD in helping transform children’s lives.
She currently spends three days of the week at the South Coast Institute of Learning Development, two mornings a week at Southcity Christian Schools and afternoons at her home office in Ramsgate, helping children.
Catherine feels very blessed indeed that God has led her on this incredible NILD path and continues to be excited and passionate about helping children overcome their difficulties. She is thankful to be a part of the NILD family.