The Orton Gillingham approach is a research-based, multi-sensory methodology used for teaching reading, spelling, and writing. It is often used for tutoring students with dyslexia and other reading challenges, and it follows a systematic approach where concepts and sounds build upon one another. Orton Gillingham lessons are custom-tailored to the specific needs and levels of each student.
Who Benefits from Orton Gillingham Tutoring?
If your child struggles with reading, including phonemic awareness, sounding out words, reading fluency, or comprehending material that they read, they may benefit from Orton Gillingham tutoring. This approach also helps students develop their spelling and writing skills and build their overall academic confidence.
What does Orton Gillingham Tutoring Entail?
The Orton Gillingham approach is a structured, research-based, multi-sensory method for helping students develop their reading, spelling, and writing skills. It is diagnostic, prescriptive, and catered to each student’s individual needs and levels. Orton Gillingham tutoring integrates all aspects of reading - including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension - along with spelling and writing instruction.
What Happens in an Orton Gillingham Initial Assessment?
Before starting Orton Gillingham tutoring, your child should begin with an initial assessment to gauge their specific needs. They should be assessed on phonemic awareness skills such as rhyming, initial sound recognition, final sound recognition, and blending; letter/sound identification; and reading and spelling words continuing consonant-vowel-consonant patterns, blends, consonant digraphs, vowel digraphs, silent e patterns, r-controlled patterns, and multi-syllabic word patterns. Once the assessment is completed, an individualized Orton Gillingham tutoring plan can be created.
Orton Gillingham Tutoring Lessons
Orton Gillingham tutoring lessons typically start by reviewing previously taught sounds and concepts. This review might include audio-visual card drills, letter and word writing, and reading words containing previously taught patterns. Next, a new sound or concept should be introduced, and the student should be given ample practice and repetition with this new concept. Students should also spell several words and sentences containing the new concept, and Orton Gillingham lessons should end with oral reading, ideally with a controlled, decodable text. Multi-sensory tools should be integrated into the Orton Gillingham tutoring sessions, such as colored sand, magnetic tiles, mini white boards, and shaving cream.
What Does an Orton Gillingham Lesson Look Like?
While Orton Gillingham tutoring lessons vary from student to student based on their needs, an example of an Orton Gillingham lesson might be as follows:
- The Orton Gillingham tutor might begin with an audio-visual card drill containing the letter and its corresponding sound. For example, they might hold up a card with an f on the front and a picture of a fish on the back.
- The tutor would say aloud to the student, “This is the letter f, like fish, it makes the sound /f/.”
- The student would then repeat that sequence back and say it out loud three times independently.
- The Orton Gillingham tutor would model tracing the letter in the air for the sky writing step.
- The tutor would say the formation out loud as they trace it, like, “When we write the letter f, we move around, down, and across.”
- The student would then write the letter in the sky with the Orton Gillingham tutor and then three times on their own.
- The student would then trace the letter in colored sand or shaving cream, first with the Orton Gillingham tutor and then on their own.
- The student might complete Orton Gillingham workbook exercises where they practice writing the letter several times and identifying pictures that start with the sound they are learning.
- After learning a series of letters and at least one short vowel sound, they would work on blending sounds together using flash cards or magnetic tiles. They would also spell words and sentences when they are ready and end with oral reading.
Why Is Orton Gillingham Effective?
The Orton Gillingham method is an incredibly effective method for developing reading, spelling, and writing skills. It is structured, systematic, and customized to the needs and levels of each student. While students with dyslexia tend to thrive with Orton Gillingham tutoring, any child who struggles with reading or writing can benefit from this approach.
Who Benefits from Orton Gillingham?
The Orton Gillingham approach is particularly effective for:
- Students with dyslexia
- Students who have difficulties sounding out words
- Students who have trouble with spelling
- Students who struggle with fluency
- Students who exert strenuous effort into reading, thereby affecting their comprehension
If your child is struggling with reading, Orton Gillingham tutoring can help them immensely with building their reading and writing skills. At Knowledge Plus Tutoring, we specialize in helping students in grades prek-12 build their reading skills using Orton Gillingham tutoring and other research-based, multi-sensory techniques. We provide virtual and in-home Orton Gillingham tutoring and would be happy to help your child.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Orton Gillingham tutoring only for students with dyslexia?
No! The Orton Gillingham approach can help any student who is struggling with reading, not just those with a dyslexia diagnosis.
How long does it take to see results with Orton Gillingham tutoring?
With Orton Gillingham tutoring, each student moves at a different pace and progress varies based on how quicky the student responds to the tutoring. However, most students start to show improvements with their reading and spelling skills quickly with Orton Gillingham tutoring.
Is the Orton Gillingham approach evidence-based?
Yes! The Orton Gillingham approach is an evidence-based, multi-sensory method that helps students develop their reading and spelling skills. While it was originally designed for students with dyslexia, all students who struggle with reading can benefit from Orton Gillingham tutoring.
Dr. Emily Levy, the executive director of Knowledge Plus Tutoring, has been helping students develop their reading skills with Orton Gillingham tutoring for over twenty years.
