Understanding the Orton Gillingham Method for Effective Learning
The Orton Gillingham method is a proven, research-based approach tailored to help students with dyslexia or reading challenges. At The Literacy Corner Inc., we specialize in creating structured, multisensory, and individualized learning plans that foster literacy development. With the Orton Gillingham method, our tutors provide targeted instruction in reading, writing, and spelling, empowering students to build confidence and achieve their goals. Tap the images below to learn more about the key principles that make OG effective or contact us today for a free consultation.
Sequential Approach
At TLC, we implement the sequential Orton-Gillingham component by first teaching the 44 sounds of English, building a strong phonemic base. We then advance to the 200+ ways to spell these sounds, starting with simpler patterns. For example, did you know the long /a/ sound has eight graphemes? These include “a” (apron), “a_e” (cake), “ai” (rain), “ay” (play), “eigh” (eight), “ea” (great), “ey” (they), and “ei” (vein). Our tutors guide students through these patterns systematically, fostering confidence and mastery.
Diagnostic & Prescriptive Approach
We implement the prescriptive component of OG by starting with a consultation to understand each child’s needs. Our first meeting with each child is a comprehensive assessment to identify specific skill gaps. Our tutors provide detailed lesson notes after every session to keep the child’s team—parents, teachers, education assistants —aligned. We conduct detailed post-assessments, and often midway assessments, to ensure targeted, effective instruction that drives progress.
Multisensory Approach
Our multisensory approach engages students’ senses in both in-person and online settings. In-person, tutors use tactile tools like magnetic letter tiles, rocks with letters, sand trays for tracing, and other physical objects to make learning hands-on. Online, students interact with drag-and-drop letters and explore virtual 3D worlds, keeping lessons dynamic. Both formats incorporate auditory and kinesthetic clues, facial movements, and activities, ensuring an engaging, effective experience for students, especially those with dyslexia.
Individualized Approach
Drawing from initial consultations and assessments, our tutors can easily tweak our structured but highly flexible plans to align with the student’s learning style and goals, whether focusing on phonics, decoding, reading fluency, or comprehension. Regular progress monitoring and family collaboration ensure instruction remains adaptive and impactful, empowering students with dyslexia or reading challenges to succeed at a pace that works for them.
Explicit Approach
We implement the explicit Orton-Gillingham component by teaching reading and spelling rules with clarity and precision. Our tutors break down concepts like letter-sound relationships and syllable patterns directly, using clear explanations and examples tailored to each student’s needs. Our straightforward method, rooted in our Orton-Gillingham-based approach, ensures students with dyslexia or reading challenges grasp essential skills confidently and effectively.
Systematic Approach
At TLC, we follow a structured progression of literacy skills, starting with sound symbol recognition (i.e. the letter c makes the /s/ sound and the /k/ sound) and production, to one syllable words (i.e. cat), to learning more complex phonics rules and multiple syllables (i.e. for-get) and morphemes (i.e. -ful) to syntax and the sentence. Our tutors use a carefully planned scope and sequence, ensuring each lesson builds logically on the last, providing students with dyslexia or reading difficulties a clear, organized path to reading and spelling success.