What Is The Orton-Gillingham Method?

The Orton-Gillingham method is a multi-sensory and explicit approach to teaching reading and spelling. It was developed in the 20th century by Dr. Samuel Orton and Anna Gillingham. Their work, along with the scientific research of how the brain learns to read, culminates into what is known as the O-G method. It is not a specific curriculum or program. Instead, instructors of O-G are able to use it’s methodology to incorporate a structured, explicit and multi-sensory lesson to effectively teach a student who has a language based disability like dyslexia how to read.

Despite what many people may think, English is actually a logical language. Most of us are just not explicitly aware of how or why words are spelled they way they are spelled. People who struggle to read will find English confusing and frustrating. O-G explicitly teaches students that there is a reliable structure to learning how to read and spell English. O-G works to develop phonological awareness (sounds) as well as syllabication and morphology (meaning). The Orton-Gillingham method is systematic and explicit and allows students to take the guessing out of reading and spelling. It allows them to be confident in their ability to decode (read) and encode (spell) words so that they may continue to develop literacy skills along with their peers.

The Criteria of Orton-Gillingham

As an Orton-Gillingham trained educator, a teacher would implement the following criteria in each lesson in order to incorporate the O-G approach:

• Systematic and Sequential – The lessons follow a specific progression and build off of previously taught material.
• Multi-sensory: The teacher will incorporate visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile strategies in each lesson.
• Individualized: Teachers make decisions on what is needed in lessons based on what a specific student needs.
• Explicit: Teachers directly explain the concept being taught.
• Flexible: Teachers can make changes to a lesson based on a student’s fulfillment of a concept being taught.

What does an O-G lesson look like?

Ideally, O-G lessons would be taught in a 1-1 setting, however, small group settings are effective too. The following is likely to be seen in an O-G lesson:

• Sight Word practice
• Phonemic Awareness drills
• Phonogram card drills (visual and auditory)
• Blending drill
• A review of previously taught material
• Introduction of new material that builds on previously taught material. This may include explicitly taught spelling rules/concepts as well as morphology instruction.
• Controlled reading to practice fluency with the newly taught material.
• Dictation of words and sentences with the newly taught material.
• Non-controlled reading to practice comprehension and writing skills.