Orton-Gillingham

The Orton-Gillingham approach is based on research about how the brain learns and how humans process language.

Based on his pioneering research In the 20th century, Dr. Samuel Orton, neuropsychiatrist and pathologist, child psychologist Anna Gillingham, and teacher Bessie Stillman developed an instructional approach for students with dyslexia to learn to read and write. The Learning Center at ACDS uses the principles of the Orton-Gillingham Approach to focus on the learner’s strengths with emotionally safe, and cognitively sound instruction. These practices build confidence through regular success leading to self-awareness and self advocacy.

Daily structured lessons include phonemic awareness, phonics, morphology, vocabulary, syntax, reading comprehension, and writing. Teachers design each lesson based on previous errors, giving immediate corrective feedback, reviewing previously taught concepts and acknowledging evidence of progress on an ongoing basis. New concepts are connected  to what has already been learned. Simultaneous-multisensory instruction that uses the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile pathways to the brain strengthen learners’ understanding and retention. The visible outcomes of direct, explicit instruction in this systematic, sequential, and cumulative approach are a working knowledge of the structure of the English language leading from simple sounds to accurate reading comprehension, and articulate oral and written expression. Learn more about the principles of dyslexia.

If you are wondering if your child might have dyslexia, the following list may be helpful. These are typical milestones that indicate expected outcomes by age. Remember that all children follow their own paths;  development is not linear.

What to look for in your pre-reader and beyond:

A  child should be able to:
Preschool	produce rhyming words divide words into symbols divide sentences into words discriminate between rhyming words divide words into individual sounds	delete roots, syllables, and phonemes e.g. Say "Sunday." Now say it again, but don't say "day." substitute a phoneme to make a new word e.g. Say "f-u-n." What is the word? Now say it again but change "f" to "s." identify a phoneme by its position in the word (Beginning, middle, end)
A  child should be able to:
6 years old	write words write sentences blend sounds together decode nonsense words segment words into syllables	identify sounds and letters (Sound/Symbol relationships) begin to decode (vc, cvc, words, words with blends- 2&3 letters, words with consonant digraphs, silent-e words, etc.)
A child should:
2nd-5th Grade	spell well have appropriate handwriting enjoy reading and writing have appropriate or strong written expression have appropriate or strong reading strategies	recall words quickly without much repetition comprehend reading material at or above grade level read accurately
Adapted from Schenck School, Sandy Springs, GA and the International Dyslexia Association

For more information about Dyslexia, the research, and instructional practice, link to any of the following resources:

• https://dyslexiaida.org/
• http://www.ortonacademy.org/