As a teacher working in urban classrooms for over a decade, I’ve seen students face some incredible challenges when it comes to reading. Dyslexia, struggling readers, and language processing barriers were common among the children I taught. Watching them struggle was heartbreaking. It wasn’t until I fully understood the tools at my disposal—specifically decodable and leveled books—that I began to see a shift in how my students approached reading. Each has its place, but knowing when and how to use them is the key to unlocking a love for reading in any child.
The Origins of Orton-Gillingham
The Orton-Gillingham approach was born out of collaboration between Dr. Samuel Torrey Orton, a neuropsychiatrist, and Anna Gillingham, an educator and psychologist. In the 1920s and 1930s, Dr. Orton worked with adults who had brain injuries and began applying his findings to children with language processing difficulties—what we now know as dyslexia. Anna Gillingham took Dr. Orton’s research and created a systematic, multisensory method to teach reading. In 1935, she published The Gillingham Manual, which outlined her strategies for teaching phonics, morphology, and spelling. Together, they created a program that would revolutionize how educators approach reading instruction.
What Makes Orton-Gillingham Different?
Orton-Gillingham was the first approach specifically designed for struggling readers. It focuses on breaking reading and spelling down into smaller, manageable skills and building on them over time. Here’s what sets it apart:
Multisensory Learning
This method integrates visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile learning. Students might trace a letter in sand while saying its sound or walk in the shape of a letter while writing it in the air. This combination strengthens neural pathways and helps students retain what they learn.
Systematic and Sequential
Skills are taught in a specific order, starting with the basics of letter-sound relationships and progressing to more complex patterns like vowel teams or multisyllabic words. Each step builds on the last, ensuring students master foundational skills before moving on.
Individualized Instruction
Orton-Gillingham isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Teachers assess each student’s strengths and weaknesses and tailor lessons accordingly. This ensures that every child progresses at their own pace.
How Does Orton-Gillingham Work?
The first step is assessment. A trained instructor evaluates the student’s reading skills, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Based on this assessment, lessons are designed to meet the student’s specific needs.
Students are taught in small groups or one-on-one sessions. Lessons follow a highly structured order:
- Letter-Sound Relationships: Students learn the connections between letters and their corresponding sounds.
- Phonemic Awareness: Activities focus on blending, segmenting, and manipulating sounds.
- Decoding and Encoding: Students practice sounding out words (decoding) and spelling them (encoding).
- Building Fluency: Repeated practice helps students read smoothly and confidently.
- Understanding Patterns and Rules: Lessons explore why certain letters or sounds behave the way they do, giving students the tools to decode unfamiliar words independently.
For example, in one lesson, I had a student trace the letter “p” in shaving cream while saying its sound aloud. Then we practiced identifying “p” in words like “pig” and “pop.” By engaging multiple senses, the student not only remembered the sound but also connected it to written words.
Why Is Orton-Gillingham So Effective?
The approach works because it’s explicit, direct, and multisensory. It doesn’t leave struggling readers to figure out language patterns on their own. Instead, it provides step-by-step instruction that ensures mastery.
Research backs this up. Studies show that multisensory teaching strategies help students with dyslexia improve their decoding skills and overall reading comprehension. The structure and repetition of Orton-Gillingham make it an invaluable tool for students who need extra support.
Who Benefits from Orton-Gillingham?
While Orton-Gillingham was originally designed for students with dyslexia, its principles benefit a wide range of learners:
- Struggling Readers: Students who need extra help with decoding and fluency.
- English Language Learners: The method’s emphasis on phonics and patterns helps non-native speakers build a strong foundation.
- Students with Learning Disabilities: Its individualized approach ensures that every student gets the support they need.
I once worked with a fifth grader named James, who had been labeled a “non-reader.” He couldn’t decode even simple words like “cat.” Using Orton-Gillingham, we focused on basic letter sounds and slowly worked our way up. By the end of the year, James was reading short paragraphs independently—a feat that brought tears to his mother’s eyes.
FAQs About Orton-Gillingham
Is Orton-Gillingham only for students with dyslexia?
No. While it’s especially effective for students with dyslexia, it benefits any student who struggles with reading.
Can Orton-Gillingham help older students?
Absolutely. The approach is adaptable for students of all ages, from kindergarten to adulthood.
Is Orton-Gillingham a curriculum?
It’s not a curriculum but an approach. Many programs, like Wilson Reading and Barton, are based on Orton-Gillingham principles.
Can parents use Orton-Gillingham at home?
Yes, with the right training and resources, parents can apply its strategies to support their child’s learning.
Conclusion: Transforming Readers with Orton-Gillingham
The Orton-Gillingham approach isn’t just a teaching method—it’s a game-changer for struggling readers. By breaking language into manageable steps and engaging multiple senses, it equips students with the tools they need to decode words, build fluency, and become confident readers.
In my classroom, Orton-Gillingham has helped countless students go from feeling defeated to feeling empowered. Whether it’s a kindergartener learning their first sounds or a fifth grader catching up after years of struggle, this approach makes success possible. It’s a reminder that with the right tools and strategies, every child can learn to read—and love it.