About I Can Read Australia
For more than two decades, I Can Read has helped children develop the reading, writing and communication skills that form the foundation for lifelong learning.
Today, the programme is delivered through a growing network of centres across Australia and around the world, using a structured literacy system developed through educational research.
Our mission is simple: to help every child become a confident, independent learner through high-quality literacy education.
Our founders
Annabel Seargeant
Annabel Seargeant is a registered educational and cognitive psychologist with a BA major in English literature, psychology and post-graduate qualifications in counselling. She has operated her own specialist reading clinic, working with children with a wide range of abilities, some with dyslexia, intellectual delay and other reading disabilities. Annabel has also worked with children who are able to read and want to extend their mastery of all aspects of the English language. She has a background in teaching literature, creative writing, public speaking and drama. She is also a trainer who has trained reading specialists and teachers how to teach reading.
Tony Earnshaw
Antony Earnshaw is an educational and cognitive psychologist. He taught English in Australian schools for over twenty years, was a senior marker in English and Drama for the NSW HSC and School Certificate and was a school counsellor for several years. He was also a Senior Educational Psychologist for the Ministry of Education in Singapore from 2000 to 2003. Tony has majors in teaching and literature, and his PhD is on how children learn to read.
The I Can Read System is built on more than 25 years of educational research and practical classroom experience. Every programme follows a structured, sequential approach that helps children develop strong reading, writing and communication skills by building one concept at a time.
Rather than asking children to memorise words, the programme teaches them how the English language works, giving them the confidence to decode unfamiliar words and become independent readers.
Today, the same research-based methodology continues to underpin every I Can Read programme delivered across Australia and around the world.
Our Educational Philosophy
Backed by Research
The success of the I Can Read System is supported by ongoing educational research and evidence-based teaching practices. Children progress through carefully sequenced lessons designed to reinforce learning, build confidence and develop long-term literacy skills.
Parents interested in learning more about the research behind the programme can explore our dedicated Research Reports.
