Orton-Gillingham

The Orton-Gillingham Approach is a direct, explicit, multisensory, structured, sequential, diagnostic, and prescriptive way to teach literacy when reading, writing, and spelling does not come easily to individuals, such as those with dyslexia. It is most properly understood and practiced as an approach, not a method, program, or system. In the hands of a well-trained and experienced instructor, it is a powerful tool of exceptional breadth, depth, and flexibility. -Orton-Gillingham Academy

History of Orton-Gillingham

What makes Orton-Gillingham different from other programs?

Unlike packaged programs that follow a step by step process, the Orton-Gillingham approach is diagnostic and prescriptive, which means that it allows teachers the flexibility to plan the next day’s lesson based on what a student needs to work on from the previous day. Each lesson follows a specific scope and sequence which provides the building blocks for learning the structure of the English language.

Why is the Orton-Gillingham approach effective for our students?

What is multisensory instruction?

The Triad curriculum has been designed around the concept of multisensory instruction. Students with dyslexia often do not readily intuit new information and often struggle with traditional teaching methods which emphasize pencil and paper learning. For these students to successfully master new material, the auditory, visual and kinesthetic learning channels must be stimulated simultaneously. Thus our students “see it, say it, and do it” as they learn. New material is broken down into its smallest meaningful units, or sub-steps, and is repeatedly reviewed and taught to a level of mastery. Thus learning happens incrementally and on a firm foundation of prior knowledge.