The Orton-Gillingham Approach is the most well-known approach to intervention, considered the “gold standard” for students with dyslexia. This highly respected approach is used to successfully teach people who have learning differences such as dyslexia how to read and spell effectively. It has been used and tested for over 80 years, and is validated by scientific evidence about how individuals learn to read and write.

It is based on the work and research of Dr. Samuel Orton and Anna Gillingham in the early to mid 1900s. They were among the first to design an approach to help struggling readers by explicitly teaching the connections between letters and sounds. It was also the first approach to use multi-sensory teaching strategies, which is extremely effective.

The Orton-Gillingham approach is always focused upon the learning needs of each student, and Orton-Gillingham practitioners design individualized lesson plans designed specifically to meet the needs of each child.

Orton-Gillingham teaches the logic of English. Students learn that there is a reliable system to reading and spelling. The Orton-Gillingham approach teaches students to think critically, and they learn strategies and acquire a deep understanding of the English language.