What is Orton-Gillingham?

Achieving literacy skills does not come easily for those with dyslexia.  Most often, the methods and curriculums used in traditional classrooms do not meet the needs of the dyslexic student.  The Orton-Gillingham approach is a direct, explicit, multi-sensory, structured way to teach literacy for reading, writing, and spelling.  The lessons are sequential, yet diagnostic and prescriptive based on each student's individual needs.  Visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile pathways are utilized to build retention and mastery of concepts.  This approach is most often used in a one-on-one teaching model but can also be used for small group instruction. Research shows the instructional practices used in the Orton-Gillingham Approach are from scientific evidence about how individuals learn to read and write.  Although the focus of the approach is reading, spelling, and writing, it has successfully been adapted to help those who have difficulty with mathematics as well.