Overcoming
What is Dyslexia?
“Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”
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Adopted by the IDA Board of Directors, Nov. 12, 2002. Many state education codes, including New Jersey, Ohio and Utah, have adopted this definition. Learn more about how consensus was reached on this definition: Definition Consensus Project.
The Orton-Gillingham Approach
At our learning Centre, our tutors are trained to implement the Orton-Gillingham Approach.
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The Orton-Gillingham Approach is a way of teaching the structure of language in a logical, sequential, prescriptive, and diagnostic manner. It caters to the individual needs of each student. One-to-one instruction is provided between a trained tutor and child, as they learn at their own pace. Each session is approximately one hour in length and is provided twice weekly.
This approach is an effective way to teach reading, spelling and writing for all children but specifically children with dyslexia. The Orton-Gillingham Approach uses multi-sensory techniques for learning, where all the senses (visual/auditory/kinesthetic-tactile) are engaged simultaneously. Through these multi-sensory learning experiences, the brain is able to build strong neural pathways to cement the components of the structure of language.
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History
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The Orton-Gillingham Approach was developed by Dr. Samuel Orton and Anna Gillingham.
Dr. Orton was both a neuropsychologist and pathologist. He became interested in teaching when his youngest child could not learn to read using the look say approach popular in the 1920’s. Orton believed reading difficulties were neurologically based. In 1925 he received a grant to investigate the causes of reading failure. He saw 2500 cases over the next two years. During the summer the most difficult cases were brought back to the Medical School of State University of Iowa. The staff would teach the children phonics using a visual - auditory - kinesthetic - tactile approach.
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Anna Gillingham conferred with Dr. Orton in 1929. She was a teacher and psychologist testing gifted children who were not learning to read. In 1932 Gillingham took a sabbatical leave to work as a research associate with Dr. Orton. She stayed two years and organized his remedial techniques into a manual completed in 1934. We now have the green manual which has seen many revisions and updates. This is the 8th edition of the Gillingham manual.
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adapted from the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators website 2025​​
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"We believe that, given time, persistence, and adult faith and support, almost all dyslexic persons can learn to read as well as they can think, and to spell passably. The earlier we start in the child's life, the easier it is, in general, but it is never to late to start, and it is always too soon to give up as long as the student can see results and keep working. This is not a quick or simple task, and there is no magic wand. But it will work, and it is both necessary and well worth doing, as almost every well-taught learner will agree."
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~Margaret Rawson~ Past President, National Orton Dyslexia Society
