Orton-Gillingham (OG) methodology is a time-tested, research-based approach to reading instruction. Originally created for students with dyslexia, the OG method has proved to be universally excellent for teaching reading.
Developed in the 1930s, the OG method focuses on teaching the fundamentals of reading, writing, and spelling through a multisensory, structured, and individualized approach. The goal is to help students connect the sounds they hear (phonemes) with the letters they see (graphemes). Letters and their sounds are, of course, the building blocks of reading and writing.
Foundational to the approach is the research-based assumption that children learn and retain more when they engage multiple senses. If you are familiar with Orton-Gillingham, you've probably seen the sand trays or students tapping their arms or pounding their fists on their desks. One of the most important parts of OG methodology is its multisensory nature. The method incorporates sight, sound, and touch to reinforce learning. For instance, new readers may trace letters in green and blue sand while saying their sounds aloud. By engaging multiple pathways in the brain, students remember the letters and sounds, and they retain and understand them more fully. And what kindergarten student doesn’t love the opportunity to pound and tap, draw letters in the sand, or use crayons to practice letter formation?
Another crucial tenet of the OG approach is the structured, sequential introduction of skills. Students begin with basic language components (such as single-letter sounds) and move gradually to more complex concepts like syllables and grammar rules. The instruction is cumulative, building on previously learned concepts, and it moves at a pace that suits the learner’s progress.
Finally, the OG method is explicit, meaning it doesn't assume students will just “pick up” reading skills. Many children could do so. However, the experience of learning to read can sometimes be difficult—even painful! In OG, teachers provide clear, sequential, and direct instruction, and they do not assume that students will learn merely through exposure and practice.
By focusing on the ways children learn best, the OG method provides an accessible, supportive, and evidence-based path to literacy that can transform the lives of struggling readers and create strong readers. Eventually all students who learn to read will start reading to learn. As they grow in their strength of skill as readers, they are well-equipped to participate in the Great Conversation and to love learning for a lifetime, both of which are hallmarks of a Dominion education.