The Orton-Gillingham Approach: What It Is & Why It Works!
Information about the Orton-Gillingham approach, Dr. Samuel Orton, and Anna Gillingham was sourced from the Orton-Gillingham Academy.
The Orton-Gillingham approach is a unique way of teaching literacy when reading, writing, and spelling do not come easily to a learner. It is particularly effective for our learners who have dyslexia.
This approach was developed by Dr. Samuel Orton and Anna Gillingham. Orton was a neuropsychiatrist and pathologist who focused on reading failure and language processing difficulties. Gillingham was an educator and psychologist.
Together, Orton and Gillingham trained teachers, while also compiling and publishing the materials that now make up the Orton-Gillingham approach - the most effective approach for teaching those with dyslexia to read.
To learn more about Dr. Samuel Orton, Anna Gillingham, and their approach to reading instruction, visit the Orton-Gillingham Academy.
What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia affects how the brain processes language. Individuals with dyslexia often struggle with:
Reading,
Writing, and
Spelling.
It’s important to note that while a child with dyslexia may struggle with reading, writing, and/or spelling, this does not equate to a lack of intelligence. With the appropriate intervention for dyslexia, your child can excel in reading.
To learn more about the signs of dyslexia, read: Seven Signs of Dyslexia.
Why does dyslexia cause reading issues?
Dyslexia is related to the structure and function of the brain, particularly the regions involved in language-based tasks. Because of this, dyslexia causes issues with reading. If your child has dyslexia, some areas of his or her brain might not be as active as they should be. This makes it challenging for them to process the connection between sounds and letters.
Phonics is the association of letters with sounds, and this is precisely what the dyslexic brain has difficulty with. That is why your child may read slowly, confuse words, and have difficulty with spelling.
However, with a multisensory approach to reading instruction, the brain of a dyslexic reader can be rewired so that all of the necessary areas of the brain will be engaged when reading.
Four Reasons The Orton Gillingham Approach is Effective:
1. It’s personalized.
When your child begins working with an Orton-Gillingham-trained instructor, they will be assessed to see their strengths and weaknesses. The teacher or tutor will use these results to guide individualized instruction that will meet your child’s unique needs.
Learn more about Using Literacy Evaluation Data to Drive Student Instruction.
2. It uses explicit, direct instruction.
Instruction that is direct and explicit is presented systematically where concepts are clearly stated, modeled, and practiced. You may know this as the “I do, we do, you do” model or the gradual release of responsibility.
3. It is structured, sequential, and cumulative.
Instruction that is structured, sequential, and cumulative is organized in a logical way. It moves from concepts that are easy for your child, to concepts that gradually become more challenging. The instruction will also continually loop back to previously taught concepts.
Even though instruction is structured, sequential, and cumulative, it is also still flexible because the instruction is based on the individual needs of the learner.
4. It uses a simultaneously multisensory approach
A multisensory approach not only uses visual and auditory senses but also engages gross and fine motor skills as well as kinesthetics (touch) to increase memory storage. By utilizing multiple senses, the dyslexic brain is rewired, and the areas of the brain that were being underutilized become more engaged.
Watch our recent webinar to learn more about the Orton-Gillingham approach, why it works, and how you can advocate to get the appropriate interventions for your child with dyslexia!