Julia Solomon Explained

Julia Solomon
Birth Name:Julia Green
Birth Date:21 April 1927
Birth Place:Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Known For:Reading For Sure
Thesis Title:The use of observations of child development for early childhood education
Discipline:Psychologist, educator
Sub Discipline:Early childhood education
Thesis Year:1984

Julia Solomon (21 April 1927 – 25 April 2016) (born Julia Green) was an Australian early-childhood educator, academic, literacy theorist and developer of the Solomon Method of Reading.

In 1990, based upon decades of her own research and experience, Solomon developed Reading For Sure,[1] a method for teaching effective English literacy to both children and adults. The implementation of Reading For Sure remained her primary professional focus until the end of her life. Solomon travelled widely around Australia and the world lecturing on her system, and established a franchising of her literacy clinics.

Early life

Born Julia Green, Solomon was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, graduated from Perth Modern School in Western Australia in 1943 and from the Kindergarten Union of Western Australia (KUWA) and the Teacher Training College in 1947. Returning to Newcastle as an early-childhood teacher, she married Geoffrey Solomon in 1953, and lived in Newcastle and then Perth from 1970. Solomon began implementing her unique ideas regarding pre-school education at "The Hill" Kindergarten which she founded in 1960 in Newcastle.

Education

Solomon returned to formal study in the 1960s, completing degrees in English and Clinical Psychology at the University of Newcastle in New South Wales. She received a master's degree in psychology (1974) and was awarded a PhD in education from Murdoch University (1980); her thesis[2] was based upon ideas outlined in her earlier study Learning To Think[3] (1973).

Reading For Sure

As a practicing psychologist, Solomon observed that many of the children being referred to her for persistent "behavioural" problems were actually suffering from anxiety over their inability to read, and her clinical practice became increasingly directed towards basic literacy. Solomon noticed a remarkable reduction in behavioural problems amongst children once their anxiety over literacy was resolved.

I saw many children and teenagers, who came from English speaking homes, with literate parents, yet they were displaying signs of reading failures. I pondered on this and told myself I had to do something about this.[4]
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Solomon developed a method of reading which simplified the written English language and greatly increased its consistency for readers. She also developed a method by which her diacritical system was to be taught. This became known as the Solomon Method, while her reading system as a whole was called Reading for Sure (RFS). In 1993, Solomon founded World Literacy International to manage and operate a campaign to disseminate RFS to the wider public.

Publications

Legacy

Solomon's work was acknowledged in 2012 when she was named as a finalist for Senior Australian of the Year[15] in a ceremony at Government House. The Reading for Sure program and clinics have continued through her student and close associate Lynne Wajon.[16]

Personal life

Throughout her life, Solomon was deeply involved in Jewish communal life in both Newcastle and Perth. She has three children: two sons, David Solomon and Rabbi Marcus Solomon SC, and a daughter Rina.

References

  1. Web site: Reading For Sure – Reading For Sure literacy program. Reading For Sure. en-US. 2019-07-30.
  2. The use of observations of child development for early childhood education. 1984. Julia. Solomon.
  3. Book: Solomon, Julia.. Learning to think : an analysis of cognitive growth and its application to early childhood education. 1973. Govt. Pr. for the Kindergarten Association of Western Australia. 0724454403. West Perth, W.A.. 1273685.
  4. Web site: A Conversation With Dr Julia Solomon, Founder And Developer Of Reading For Sure Program. The New Age Parents. 2019-07-31.
  5. Book: Solomon, Julia.. Encounters : a resource schedule for early childhood, level 1. 1976. Child Study Publications. 0-909165-01-7. Perth. 27598671.
  6. Book: Solomon, Julia.. Encounters : a resource schedule for early childhood, level 2. 1976. Child Study Publications. 0-909165-02-5. Perth. 27598693.
  7. Book: Solomon, Dr Julia. Fat Cat Sam. World Literacy International. 1993. 0-646-16462-7. Perth, Western Australia.
  8. Book: Solomon, Julia.. Teaching literacy from the beginning : a neuro-developmental theory for English reading instruction. 2008. World Literacy International. 978-1-875767-27-4. Noranda, W.A.. 868303543.
  9. Book: Solomon, Dr Julia. Stepping Ahead. World Literacy International. 2009. 978-1-875767-31-1. Perth, Western Australia.
  10. Book: Solomon, Dr Julia. Reading for Sure System Teaching Kit. World Literacy International. 1990. 0-646-13675-5. Perth, Western Australia.
  11. Book: Solomon, Dr Julia. Spelling for Sure Work Book. World literacy International. 1993. 0-646-14145-7. Perth, Western Australia.
  12. Book: Solomon, Dr Julia. The Alphabet Song of World Literacy International. World Literacy International. 2008. 978-1-875767-28-1. Perth, Western Australia.
  13. Book: Solomon, Dr Julia. Stepping Ahead - Where Literacy Begins. World Literacy International. 2009. 978-1-875767-29-8. Perth, Western Australia.
  14. Book: Solomon, Dr Julia. Start Reading - A manual for the failure-free way with Phonological fun books. World Literacy International. 2009. 978-1-875767-30-4. Perth, Western Australia.
  15. Web site: Julia Solomon. https://web.archive.org/web/20220221082012/https://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/recipients/adam-goodes/894/. dead. 21 February 2022. www.australianoftheyear.org.au. 2022-02-21.
  16. Web site: Reading For Sure – what's new?. 2016-07-01. Reading For Sure. en-US. 2019-07-31.

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