Understanding the "OG" Approach

Explicit & Direct

Systematic & Cumulative

Systematic & Cumulative

 Skills are taught clearly and intentionally.


Students are directly taught how sounds, letters, syllables, and words work instead of being expected to figure out reading patterns on their own. 

Systematic & Cumulative

Systematic & Cumulative

Systematic & Cumulative

 Learning follows a carefully planned sequence.


New skills build on previously taught concepts, with ongoing review and practice to strengthen mastery. 

Multisensory

Systematic & Cumulative

Individualized & Diagnostic

 Students learn through multiple pathways.


Instruction intentionally connects what students see, hear, say, and do to strengthen learning and memory. 

Individualized & Diagnostic

Especially Helpful for Dyslexia

Individualized & Diagnostic

 Instruction responds to the learner, not just a program.


Lessons are adjusted based on the student’s strengths, needs, errors, and progress. 

Builds Reading AND Spelling

Especially Helpful for Dyslexia

Especially Helpful for Dyslexia

 Students learn how language works, not just how to recognize words.


Instruction connects decoding for reading with encoding for spelling, helping students develop a deeper understanding of written language. 

Especially Helpful for Dyslexia

Especially Helpful for Dyslexia

Especially Helpful for Dyslexia

 Orton-Gillingham was designed for struggling readers.


Its explicit, structured approach is particularly well suited for students with dyslexia and persistent difficulties with reading and spelling. 

What Does This Actually Look Like for My Child?

Orton-Gillingham instruction is active, structured, and individualized. It includes:

Sound Work

Students build awareness of the individual sounds in words and learn how to hear, identify, blend, and manipulate them. 


Connecting Sounds & Letters

Students strengthen the connection between the sounds they hear, and the letters or letter patterns used to represent them.


Building & Breaking Apart Words

Students work with sounds, syllables, prefixes, suffixes, and other meaningful word parts to understand how words are constructed.


Reading & Decoding

Students learn strategies for accurately reading unfamiliar words instead of relying on guessing, pictures, or memorization.


Spelling & Writing

Reading and spelling are taught together so students learn to apply the same patterns and concepts when writing words.


Practice & Review

Previously taught skills are continually reviewed and practiced while new learning is carefully added, helping students build accuracy, automaticity, and confidence.

Importantly,

Every lesson is guided by the student’s individual needs and progress. The goal is not simply to get through a program. The goal is to give your child the tools to become a more independent and confident reader and speller. 

Find out more

Why Is Reading So Hard?

The Reading Brain & How We Learn to Read

Frequently Asked Questions

No. A formal dyslexia diagnosis is not required. Orton-Gillingham can be appropriate for students who have persistent difficulty with reading, spelling, decoding, or other foundational literacy skills, whether or not they have received a diagnosis. 

No. Orton-Gillingham is an instructional approach, not a scripted or packaged reading program. It provides a framework for explicit, systematic, cumulative, multisensory, and individualized literacy instruction.

Traditional tutoring may focus on homework, classroom assignments, or additional reading practice. Orton-Gillingham instruction directly teaches the structure of written language and targets the underlying skills that may be making reading and spelling difficult. 

There is no set timeline. Instruction is individualized and progresses according to the student's needs and mastery. The length of intervention can depend on the student's starting point, severity of reading difficulties, frequency of instruction, and rate of progress. 

No. Orton-Gillingham principles can be used with learners of different ages, including older students and adults. Instruction is adjusted to the learner's age, skill level, and individual literacy needs.