Our Mission

To enable children and adults who are struggling with reading and spelling to master these skills with confidence, in a friendly environment.

Founder

Diane Philipson (BA French and Italian, Teacher’s Certificate, Grad Dip Applied Linguistics) is a former teacher with wide experience in foreign languages. She has a lifetime interest in teaching reading and spelling, which developed into a company called Sounds of Reading AUSTRALIA Pty Ltd, based in Newcastle, NSW. Over the past four years, dozens of students have successfully passed through her hands. She no longer takes new students. Diane has a reading blog: click here to view.

Accredited Tutors

Kate Wattus completed her Bachelor of Primary Education at Newcastle University, graduating with Honours and a double Arts/German major. She is the mother of two girls, and a part-time writer. Kate's experience ranges across the broad spectrum of reading abilities, from 'born readers' to students who need systematic and explicit instruction. At first Kate's special interest lay in early literacy, but she now finds she is equally drawn to working with older students and adults. Kate teaches the Sounds of Reading program in Kotara, three days a week.

Catherine Lee has over thirty years' experience as a high school teacher. Originally trained as a Visual Arts teacher, Catherine has also taught Computing Studies, English and History. Her special interests, as well as teaching Sounds of Reading and being an enthusiastic reader, are ceramics, gardening and travel. Catherine is currently learning new skills in making silver jewellery. Catherine teaches the Sounds of Reading program in Islington three days a week.

Naomi Cooper (BA Librarianship) is an ardent reader, and is passionate about passing that ability and enthusiasm on to others, especially to those experiencing difficulties with reading. Naomi has one child, Max, aged seven, and they both enjoy scouring bookshops together for new and favourite titles - the Cooper home library contains over three thousand books! Naomi’s other special interest is collecting vintage linen and crockery. Naomi teaches the Sounds of Reading program in Newcastle East, four days a week.

Heather Carey originally trained as an art educator in the early 1970s and taught in high schools for some years, extending her interest to special needs students. In the late 1980s, Heather moved into private industry. An abiding interest in language led her to Sounds of Reading. Heather’s other interests include the cinema and a pathological need to collect beautiful fabrics. Heather teaches the Sounds of Reading program in Cooks Hill. She specially enjoys teaching via Skype.