An Orton-Gillingham Lesson Vivi Belkin

An Orton-Gillingham Lesson

Vivi Belkin

The Orton-Gillingham Approach is a lesson plan format that has been proven to benefit all students, not only students with dyslexia. Orton-Gillingham is a multisensory, repetitive, and structured approach to teaching literacy. A typical lesson consists of many activities that divide reading, writing, and spelling into smaller skills, such as understanding consonant blends and phonemes. The Orton-Gillingham Approach was initially designed for students with dyslexia or reading disabilities, but it can be used for any student. Teaching neurotypical students how to read is the same as teaching students with dyslexia; dyslexic students may need more specific instruction, more repetition, and learning at a slower pace. Orton-Gillingham instructions benefit all students regardless of learning differences. For students who are already strong readers, learning through the Orton-Gillingham Approach can also improve handwriting, spelling, and written expression, while also providing critical thinking skills. Previously, the Orton-Gillingham Approach had been said to harm, rather than help neurotypical students, but more recently, it has been found that the approach is beneficial to all students.