The Orton–Gillingham approach is designed to support struggling readers by explicitly teaching the connections between letters and sounds. Today, many reading programs include Orton–Gillingham’s ideas. This structured approach divides reading and spelling into smaller skills that involve letters and sounds, improving them over time. It uses the “multisensory” technique, which is used by tutors to teach reading, which is highly effective for children with dyslexia. Toronto tutors use sight, hearing, touch and movement to help students connect language with letters and words.
Importance of Using the Orton-Gillingham Approach for Dyslexic Children
Orton-Gillingham is one of the most effective approaches used for supporting children with difficulties in reading, writing, and spelling. This approach uses multi-sensory, direct, sequential, explicit, and systematic instructions to teach reading, which is effective for students with dyslexia.
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Early Detection for Children Struggling with Reading Disabilities
When it comes to reading difficulties, early intervention is highly recommended. Class in Session uses the Orton-Gillingham approach to support children with dyslexia. Apart from this, a dyslexia determination test is important to diagnose if a child has dyslexia.
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Focus on Individual’s Needs
While children with dyslexia have similarities, there are differences in their language requirements. The Orton-Gillingham approach always focuses on individual’s needs. Tutors who use this approach make it easy for children to learn their strengths independently. Subsequently, this approach is effective for children facing reading difficulties.
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Sequential Approach
The Orton-Gillingham Approach is an effective method for teaching students how to read and spell. This approach is designed to be sequential, meaning that each lesson builds upon the previous one, so there are no gaps in the student’s learning. This helps students move from simple concepts to more complex ones with ease. Additionally, since the approach is cumulative, learning is a continuous process of reviewing previously taught skills. With the combination of the sequential and cumulative approach, students are able to retain what they learn for a longer period of time.
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Multisensory Approach
The Orton-Gillingham reading instruction approach is used by Orton Gillingham Tutors which is designed to engage all of the student’s senses to facilitate learning. This multisensory approach involves the use of visual, tactile, auditory, and kinesthetic techniques to enhance retention. By meeting the individual needs of dyslexic students, the Orton-Gillingham approach supports them overcome their literacy struggles. The use of multisensory tools to teach phonics sequentially allows students to learn cognitively, which ultimately improves their reading, writing, and language skills, making them more confident in their abilities.
Orton Gillingham Approach for Intervention
One-on-one intervention using the Orton-Gillingham approach is highly focused on identifying the specific needs of the individual student. It starts with an initial assessment to understand student’s current reading, writing, and spelling abilities, as well as their challenges and strengths. Depending on the assessment results, the tutors develop an individualized lesson plan that targets the student’s areas of difficulty. If you have a child with dyslexia or other reading difficulties, then you can contact us for tutoring in Toronto for your child.
When students become proficient in one skill, the tutor will introduce more complex reading materials. Orton-Gillingham uses multi-sensory techniques to involve multiple senses and improve learning using manipulative materials. Through these types of activities, the tutor will work on developing the reader’s skills of:
- Sight words and vocabulary
- Reading practice
- Phonics
- Spelling and writing
- Phonological awareness
If you notice dyslexia symptoms in your child, then you can contact Class in Session as we have experienced tutors who can support your child by improving their reading, writing, and spelling abilities.