The Orton-Gillingham Approach

The Orton-Gillingham approach to language instruction is a phonetics-based methodology that uses visual, auditory and kinesthetic tools and processes.

Initially developed by Dr. Samuel T. Orton and educator Anna Gillingham, the Orton-Gillingham methodology provides students with immediate feedback and a predictable sequence that integrates reading, writing and spelling.

Children learn by proceeding through a logical, sequential process, accumulating progressively more difficult skills, and learning reading, handwriting and written expression as a consolidated body of knowledge.

It is an approach that benefits all students, no matter what their learning pace or style.

Connecting Oral & Written Language

All oral language prepares children for writing.

Developing the ability to recognize sounds (aural), understanding the varied sound and rhythm of language (phonetic), and creating and observing symbolism (art) all contribute to children’s ability to associate sounds with symbols—which is at the basis of written language.

Many individual approaches and activities in our classrooms may be used to foster written language development: For example, children may be invited to tell a story about their painting. Such a conversation associates the imagery they have created with their oral language.

As their learning develops, children move from the simple association of images and storytelling, to ‘encoding’—the isolation of specific sounds— to ‘decoding’—the unification of multiple sounds— and so on, until they are writing, and we are discussing the rules and importance of grammar.