The Orton–Gillingham Approach
A structured, multisensory method that teaches children with dyslexia how English actually works — one sound, one pattern, one success at a time.
A therapist marks each sound as your child decodes it: ˘ for a short vowel sound, a strike through silent letters, and a tap for every phoneme — so reading stops being a guessing game.
What is the Orton–Gillingham approach?
The Orton–Gillingham approach is a structured, multisensory method for teaching reading, spelling, and writing. It was developed in the 1930s by neuropsychiatrist Dr. Samuel Orton and educator Anna Gillingham specifically for students who struggle to learn to read the way most classrooms teach it — including children with dyslexia.
Instead of asking kids to memorize whole words by sight, OG breaks the English language down into its smallest building blocks — sounds, letters, and syllable patterns — and teaches them explicitly, in a logical order, with lots of practice before moving on. It's the foundation of what's now known as structured literacy, and it's considered one of the most effective interventions for dyslexic readers.
Structured & Sequential
Skills are taught in a set order, from simple to complex, so nothing is assumed or skipped.
Cumulative
Every new skill builds on skills already mastered, so learning compounds instead of resetting.
Multisensory
Students see it, say it, hear it, and write it at the same time — strengthening memory pathways.
Diagnostic & Prescriptive
Every lesson responds to what a therapist observes — instruction adapts to the child, not a script.
Direct & Explicit
Rules and patterns are taught outright, out loud — nothing is left for a child to guess at.
Emotionally Sound
Lessons are paced for success, so kids build confidence instead of dreading reading time.
See multisensory reading in action
In a real OG lesson, students tap out every sound in a word before they spell it — a technique called Simultaneous Oral Spelling. Pick a word and watch how it's broken down, sound by sound.
Click “Tap It Out” to begin.
Most classrooms move too fast for a dyslexic reader. OG slows the process down — not the student.
General education reading instruction is built for students who pick up phonics patterns intuitively. Dyslexic learners don't — they need every rule taught directly, practiced repeatedly, and reinforced through more than one sense at once. That difference in how reading is taught is usually the real gap, not a lack of effort.
Typical classroom instruction
- Relies on memorizing whole words by sight
- Moves at a fixed, whole-class pace
- Assumes phonics patterns will "click" naturally
- Limited one-on-one, diagnostic feedback
- Gaps compound silently over the school year
The Orton–Gillingham approach
- Teaches the code behind words — sounds, letters, syllables
- Paced to the individual child, not the classroom
- Every rule is taught directly and practiced to mastery
- Each session is diagnostic — instruction adjusts in real time
- Progress is tracked so gaps get closed, not carried forward
The path from "stuck" to a confident reader
Every child's therapy plan looks a little different, but the process itself follows four consistent stages.
We pinpoint exactly where the breakdown in reading begins — phonemic awareness, decoding, fluency, or comprehension — so instruction starts in the right place, not just at grade level.
One-on-one, structured OG lessons built around your child's specific skill gaps — not a generic workbook or a group pace.
Repetition and structure move reading and spelling from effortful to automatic, so working memory is freed up for comprehension.
Once reading clicks, everything else — classroom participation, homework, self-esteem — tends to shift with it.
Built for dyslexia. Effective far beyond it.
Children diagnosed with or showing signs of dyslexia
Kids with ADHD who need more structure to focus
Students with auditory processing differences
Any struggling reader who needs explicit, systematic instruction
Orton–Gillingham, answered
OG can start as early as kindergarten and works well through high school and into adulthood. Lessons are paced to the learner's current skill level, not their grade, so it's never too early or too late to begin.
General tutoring usually reinforces classroom material. OG is a distinct, diagnostic teaching method: it's delivered one-on-one, follows a specific sequence of language skills, and adjusts in real time based on how a child responds — it doesn't just repeat what didn't work the first time.
No. It was designed for dyslexic learners and remains the gold standard there, but its explicit, multisensory structure also helps children with ADHD, auditory processing differences, and any student who needs a more systematic path to reading.
Every child is different, but most families notice a shift in confidence within the first several weeks, with measurable reading and spelling gains building steadily over months of consistent sessions. Progress is tracked every step of the way so you can see it, not just hear about it.
Yes. It's been refined over 90+ years and is recommended by the International Dyslexia Association as a leading approach for dyslexia intervention, and it forms the basis of many well-known structured literacy programs used in schools and clinics today.
Sessions are led directly by Kat Ferrufino, M.Ed., a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) based in Orlando, Florida — not a rotating tutor. Every plan starts with an assessment and is tracked with data so you always know where your child stands.
Ready to see if Orton–Gillingham is the right fit?
Book a free 15-minute call with Kathleen and get a clear, honest read on where your child stands — no pressure, no obligation.
Schedule a Free ConsultationKathleen Ferrufino, M.Ed. CALT
Certified Academic Language Therapist & Dyslexia Therapist
Serving Orlando, FL & surrounding areas
kathleen@clearpathdyslexia.com
(432) 349-2990