Reading
Dyslexia and Orton Gillingham: Unleashing Hope and Confidence for Children
Children with dyslexia are smart. Learners with dyslexia are brilliant. Children with dyslexia have unique, tangible, and invisible gifts that they carry with them each day. Young ones with dyslexia are created with individual passions, interests, pursuits, and immense potential.
Children hold the key to our future.
Dyslexia does not change that. It simply indicates that we can thrive using a multi-sensory, explicit, systematic, sequential and personalized approach fitting for each child.
Orton Gillingham: Learning a Time-Tested Way
It is my joy and absolute passion in my practice to see children from all over the world-those who have been dismissed, put down, given up on, or misunderstood…start to thrive! These children have so many gifts and talents to offer the world. Let’s be honest: They may know way more about certain subject areas than the rest of us. They just need the opportunity to learn reading, writing, and spelling their way, to form strong connections in the brain through multi-sensory practice, and to be given the chance to build a deep knowledge and ability to use words to function well in this world. You’ll be amazed!
Orton Gillingham: Seeing Children Thrive!
Enter Orton Gillingham, a personalized, multi-sensory, systematic, sequential, and explicit teaching method that empowers children with dyslexia to harness their true intellectual capabilities. I love that the research-backed Orton Gillingham approach produces confidence, knowledge, and tools for each child.
Let’s explore how the Orton Gillingham approach revolutionizes learning for these exceptional children, revealing their inherent intelligence, building up true confidence, and strengthening their continued academic success.
4 Effective Orton Gillingham Practices for Dyslexia
The Orton Gillingham approach, developed in the early 20th century by Samuel T. Orton and Anna Gillingham, has proven to be a game-changer in the field of dyslexia education. This research-based method recognizes that children with dyslexia benefit from personalized instruction that addresses their specific learning needs. Here’s how the approach works:
1. Multi-Sensory Instruction for Dyslexia:
Orton Gillingham uses a multi-sensory approach, engaging multiple senses simultaneously. This is fun for children, while also majorly celebrated as a method that strengthens neural pathways and connections exponentially. It also promotes faster processing speed. All of our Orton Gillingham classes incorporate the KVAT punch: kinesthetic, visual, auditory and tactile elements. This method capitalizes on a dyslexic child’s strengths, allowing them to process information more effectively. For example, students might use their fingers to trace letters while saying the corresponding sounds aloud. The goal is to always “see it, say it, hear it, and do it.” This produces phenomenal results for children with dyslexia!
2. Systematic and Sequential Approach:
Orton Gillingham employs an intentionally structured and purely systematic approach to learning. Lessons are carefully planned, ensuring that foundational skills are mastered before progressing to more complex concepts. This sequential nature prevents gaps in learning, providing a strong foundation upon which future skills can be built. It also builds a learner’s confidence. Instead of throwing a child out into the deep end right away, we, in essence, teach them how to swim stroke by stroke. I love seeing the joy on a child’s face when he or she exclaims, “ I CAN read!”
3. Explicit Instruction for Learners with Dyslexia:
This approach offers explicit instruction, breaking down complex tasks into manageable components. Dyslexic learners thrive when provided with clear and direct explanations of concepts and strategies. Orton Gillingham instructors explicitly teach the rules and patterns of language, enabling children to internalize and apply them consistently.
I always know a child really has a great grasp when he or she is explaining the rules back, whether in a fun or serious way! Specific wording and technique hands learners ownership over what they are learning and helps them realize that they CAN manipulate and understand letter names, sounds, phonemes, spelling rules, and so much more!
4. Personalization for Each Child:
One of the greatest strengths of the Orton Gillingham approach is its emphasis on individualized instruction. Each child’s unique learning needs are assessed, and lessons are tailored accordingly. This personalized approach allows instructors to adapt the pace, content, and teaching techniques to suit the student, empowering them to overcome their specific challenges.
Orton Gillingham with Joy!
At Created with Joy, and during our online and in-person classes, we aim to discover more about the child first as well. What are his or her likes or dislikes? What motivates this child? Which topics bring this child joy? We bring components of the unique child’s interests and strengths into our learning to keep it fun, fresh, and enjoyable. We want the child to not only learn to read, but also LOVE to read! Dopamine and serotonin help our memory and ability to learn. As adults and children alike, think about the last time you learned something and what you remember about it… Often it is tied to a positive memory and interest. We love to learn with joy!
Orton Gillingham Online Classes: Created with Joy
Check out our joyful learning live online courses here. Reach out if you need a different time!
Personalized Tutoring with the Orton Gillingham Approach: https://outschool.com/classes/orton-gillingham-1-on-1-private-multi-sensory-reading-spelling-tutor-sWlseNlR?usid=MTfmSwl5&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link
Set of 5 Personalized Tutoring Sessions – Orton Gillingham:
Small Group Orton Gillingham-Inspired Classes for Animal Lovers: https://outschool.com/classes/orton-gillingham-multi-sensory-reading-for-animal-lovers-OdYf4TrE?usid=MTfmSwl5&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link
Small Group Orton Gillingham-Inspired Classes for Cat Lovers: https://outschool.com/classes/orton-gillingham-multi-sensory-reading-phonics-and-sight-words-for-cat-lovers-EacEWGNK?usid=MTfmSwl5&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link
Unleashing the Potential of Unique Children
By leveraging the Orton Gillingham approach, children with dyslexia can unleash their true intellectual potential. It brings their spelling, reading, and writing skills for this world up to a great level to match their other interests, hobbies, and goals. Here’s how this method helps them thrive:
1. Building Self-Confidence:
The personalized, systematic, intentional nature of Orton Gillingham instruction instills a sense of confidence in dyslexic learners. As they experience success in their reading, writing, and spelling skills and tools to conquer reading, their self-esteem improves vastly, fostering a positive attitude towards learning. They also thrive when someone is paying attention to what they are interested in at the same time, incorporating it into lessons joyfully!
2. Developing Strong Foundational Skills and Tools:
Orton Gillingham meticulously builds foundational skills, such as phonemic awareness, phonics, and vocabulary development. These skills serve as stepping stones to higher-level reading and writing, empowering dyslexic students to tackle more complex tasks. These building blocks become exponentially important.
3. Enhancing Critical Thinking:
By providing explicit instruction, Orton Gillingham equips children with dyslexia with critical thinking skills. They learn to analyze language patterns, identify spelling rules, and apply strategies to decode unfamiliar words. These skills extend beyond literacy, contributing to success in other areas of their lifelong journey as readers.
4. Cultivating Independence:
With the support of Orton Gillingham, dyslexic children become independent learners with ownership over their reading. They gain strategies and tools that enable them to overcome reading and writing challenges, giving them the freedom to explore and excel in their education.
Transforming Lives Through Orton Gillingham
The Orton Gillingham approach is a transformative force in the lives of children with dyslexia. By recognizing their inherent intelligence and tailoring instruction to their specific needs, this method unleashes their potential, enabling them to thrive academically and beyond. Let’s embrace a paradigm shift that celebrates the brilliance of dyslexic minds and supports their beautiful journey to success. Together, we can create an inclusive and empowering educational landscape for all learners. Thank you for joining this joyful journey.
With hopes and dreams for a great foundation and future!
Created with joy,
Stephanie Joy