Orton+Gillingham+Approach

The Orton Gillingham approach was established by Doctor Samuel Orton and Anna Gillingham & their colleagues. Dr. Orton was a neuropsychiatrist and pathologist and was intrigued by the kinesthetic approach Helen Keller used for learning. In the 1920’s Samuel Orton devised a kinesthetic-tactile approach that would reinforce the visual and auditory associations which would alleviate the confusion of letters while reading and writing. Anna Gillingham studied under Dr. Orton and then devised a teaching manuel based on his theories.
 * The Orton-Gillingham approach refers to a __multi sensory__, __systematic__, __sequential__ and __cumulative__ approach to teaching reading. ** **The student simultaneously learns spelling and reading through auditory, visual and kinesthetic modalities.** The lessons are introduced systematically and are tailored to the individual’s distinct needs. Students begin by reading and writing sounds in isolation. They progress to blending sounds into syllables and words. Students learn the elements of language such as, consonants, vowels, digraphs, blends, and dipthongs. As students progress through the levels they learn more advanced elements like syllable types, roots and affixes. Students also learn about the history of the English language and study the many generalizations and rules that govern its structure. As new material is learned there is continuous reviewing of old material. The goal is for each student to reach the level of automaticity. Orton Gillingham teaching is a diagnostic and prescriptive approach.

Ideally an OG lesson is done in a 1:1 session. This ensures that the student progresses at his own pace and the lessons are specifically tailored to his own needs. In a public school this is an insurmountable task. There are numerous children who need this type of instruction and not enough staff and hours in the day. Small groups of 3-5 students are provided with the same instruction but tailored to the group’s needs. Teachers need to be creative to ensure that all the student’s individual needs are being meet. No two dyslexics have the same exact needs.