Common Questions

It is possible with a simple test to judge whether a pupil is ready to benefit from being taught the process of sound blending which is the basis of the Reading for Sure System Teaching Kit . The assessment of readiness is explained in the author’s manual “Start Reading” essentially it is phonologic awareness, the ability to blend two or more phonemes.

Yes the Solomon Method provides for the pupil who has not developed the ability to hear and/or join the separate sounds in words. We start at the level of ‘preliminary skills with the STEPPING AHEAD! program,  followed by the phonologic reader,  FAT CAT SAM.

It is Western Australian owned and operated

The Perth, (WA) based company, World Literacy International (WLI) incorporated in 1990, devises, produces and owns the programs, their intellectual property and copyright protection, including Reading for Sure™ and STEPPING AHEAD!

It teaches reading through reading

Reading aloud continuous, unillustrated print begins in the first tuition session. It is failure free, accurate, independent reading of books without computers, dictionaries or repetition drill.

It does not introduce new versions of more of the same on which pupils have already failed. Beside its promise of success it has an appeal for pupils who, in contrast to the view of many adults, see it as logical as well as novel. It teaches reading through reading aloud continuous...drill.

Silent reading, guessing and memory work are actively discouraged while sound by sound reading is encouraged until automatic reading takes over.

It utilises unique devices based on the phonology of English pronunciation.

Novel techniques, such as an unambiguous pronunciation code and a word screener, enable pupils, who have previously failed, to begin at the beginning with success and confidence. Pupils are not made anxious through having to guess words from looking at pictures or from having to memorise and recognise lists of words by sight or rely on memory. The method is tailored to suit the needs of each individual pupil, after the tutor decides whether the emphasis should be on reading, spelling, comprehension, writing, grammar or task focus.

It is an evidence based, validated program with a twenty years successful record.

The Solomon Method is validated by controlled studies in government schools, private educational agencies and by innumerable testimonials.

It measures and reports, at regular intervals, the progress made by each pupil. It is based on research evidence that reading is a function of brain hemisphere development. It fully utilises the pupil’s brain power to achieve automatic reading.

The Solomon Method is the only nationally accredited course in Australia which covers the full range of literacy education.

It is listed as an accredited course on the Australian National Training Information Service. It can be delivered by providers who complete a ten unit, or selected units, flexible training course.

It is applicable to all ages, individually or in groups.

It has applications for any individual or group wanting to learn or improve English. It can be provided as a privately owned business, or in industry, educational agencies, special needs and multicultural settings and to all age groups including preschool and adults.

In most cases, no. As the emphasis in the program is on continual reading of unfamiliar and complex words, the pupil builds up a wide reading vocabulary. This enhanced reading experience enables the pupil to eventually know the words automatically and they find they are reading without the diacritical marks. They then move into reading unmarked texts.

In most children it can be achieved with 24 1-hour sessions depending on the severity of the reading delay and on practice in between tuition sessions.

While our system rapidly improves reading, we find that in many children, accurate spelling is more difficult. We begin students on spelling as soon as they achieve sound blending. As  it is connected with the reading system, spelling is continually tested by our unique spelling resources: namely the “Spelling for Sure” workbook and the ”Sound and Spell”  Guide Chart.

Correct pronunciation is the first step to understanding meaning. Then it is the task of the tutor to make sure that the reader is visualising the text as it is intended, whether it is the definition of an unfamiliar word or the processing of a narrative passage. To ensure that this takes place as the reading occurs,  the comprehension program  “Sharing the Meaning” is progressively applied as the pupil proceeds through The Reading for Sure System Teaching Kit.

Grammar is an inherent component of committing speech to writing.  A child of five can identify a full stop and understand that it is a pause in thought and speech.  From  that stage, the other forms of punctuation can be introduced and lead into tuition on the parts of speech while the pupil is mastering reading.  Our structured grammar program “Wordswork” follows that course.

It is impossible to stop dishonesty.  There is at least one pirated version of Reading for Sure™  which has been passed off by a former employee of WLI as his own and marketed as a franchise. The use of Reading for Sure™  is permitted under quite stringent conditions.  Confidentiality agreements are in place and the materials can be used commercially only under licence or franchise issued by WLI after training and accreditation.

Click on programs for pupil enrolment.  By clicking on Access you can review all the applications of The Solomon Method, including becoming a provider.

Before you purchase our ten unit pedagogic  model, you may like to know a little more about it.

It is an innovation in teaching English literacy and that explains why it is immediately successful. To eliminate the difficulties caused by the confusion of spelling and pronunciation,   it applies a world- first pronunciation code. 

This model also distinguishes three aspects of literacy instruction – the speaking, the writing and the reading.
The Solomon Method  emphasises the READING process as the primary basis for literacy.  It begins with the activation of the brain pathways that generate  reading skill (phonologic awareness) in the early years when the brain is in formation.  We teach adults and children alike to begin at that point and they then understand and accomplish all the literacy goals.

They  overcome the obstacles in reading English by gaining  the exact pronunciation and meaning.  Teachers who apply this method are then enabled to tutor any candidate in English literacy, no matter what their starting point is.

If students  already read English fluently and accurately, they can bypass the earlier stages and move on to the comprehension and speaking components of the model.  Likewise, if they can read and speak,  they can move on to the units on spelling, writing and grammar.

The Solomon Method has its own unique teaching materials and devices which ensure success for the reader,  only if the whole model  is understood and correctly applied.  It is a paradigm unlike the content of prevailing teacher training courses.  It is important therefore that the integrity of the program and its intellectual property are preserved and legally protected by copyright laws.   

Apart from an ‘in situ’ practicum in our centre you could access our Nationally Accredited  ten unit course in English Literacy Education  online.  The cost is A$500 per unit which includes forum seminars by video link.  An award at Certificate or Diploma level is granted on successful completion of the course.

Alternatively, you could purchase all the teaching resources of our system as per our catalogue and learn to use the materials according to your assessment of the student needs.  The cost is A$1250 and a monthly subscription of $35 per month for support access.    This alternative is available under terms and conditions to be agreed upon by the user. When this alternative is taken, an award is not applicable.