 Principles of the
Orton-Gillingham
Approach
Diagnostic and
Prescriptive
The teacher seeks to
understand how an
individual learns and
devises appropriate
teaching strategies.
Each lesson is planned
to a particular
student. Infinitely
adaptable,
Orton-Gillingham is
flexible; it is an
approach rather than a
system.
Direct and Explicit
The instructor
presents the material in
direct and explicit
fashion. Never is the
student expected to know
anything that has not
been taught and
practiced.
Language Based
The Orton-Gillingham
approach is based on a
technique of studying
and teaching language,
understanding the nature
of human language, the
mechanisms involved in
learning, and the
language learning
process in individuals.
Multisensory
The Orton-Gillingham
approach is
multisensory. Sessions
are action-oriented with
auditory, visual, and
kinesthetic elements
reinforcing each other
for optimal learning.
Spelling is taught
simultaneously with
reading. In this
respect Orton-Gillingham
differs from traditional
phonics instruction.
Structured,
Sequential and
Cumulative, but Flexible
The elements of the
language are introduced
systematically.
Students begin by
reading and writing
sounds in isolation.
These are blended into
syllables and words.
The various elements of
the language are
introduced in orderly
fashion. As students
learn new material, they
continue to review
previously learned
material to the level of
automaticity. The
teacher addresses
vocabulary, sentence
structure, composition,
and reading
comprehension is a
similar structured,
sequential, and
cumulative manner.
Cognitive
Students learn about
the history of the
language and study the
many generalizations and
rules that govern the
structure of language.
The Orton-Gillingham
approach teaches to the
intellect of the
student. Students think
rather than making
guesses.
Emotionally Sound
Because previously
taught material is
constantly reviewed and
new material is
introduced
systematically, the
student experiences a
high degree of success
in every lesson and
gains confidence as well
as skill. Thus,
self-esteem develops
directly from the
student’s achievement
and learning becomes a
positive experience.
Learning is a spiral of
successes.
Orton-Gillingham
Approach
Source: ©Academy of
Orton-Gillingham
Practitioners and
Educators 10/03
The Orton-Gillingham
philosophy is based on a
technique of studying
and teaching language
and on an understanding
of the nature of human
language, of the
mechanisms involved in
learning, and of the
language-learning
processes in
individuals. Inherent in
the language acquisition
process is emphasis on
the meaning and
comprehension of the
material that is written
and read.
Speech, where words are
formed, is a primary
communication system for
conveying meaning. In
turn, spoken words may
be represented
graphically by the
symbols of a writing
system. Where such a
writing system is based
upon the alphabetic
principle, rules specify
how symbolic letters
shall correspond with
sounds and their order
in spoken words. Words
are sequenced according
to an established rule
structure (grammar) to
form meaningful
sentences. Sentences are
then arranged according
to rules of paragraphing
and thematic composition
in increasingly
sophisticated levels of
organization. In the
language of mathematics,
a different, but in many
regards overlapping,
code and system of
symbolic relationships
needs also to be
mastered.
The application of the
Orton-Gillingham
philosophy is based also
on human neurophysiology
and psychology which
indicates that it is
appropriate to use a
multisensory approach in
teaching language. Each
phonetic unit and
sequence in spoken
and/or graphic form is
learned and practiced
simultaneously and in
coordination with one
another. Auditory,
visual, and kinesthetic
patterns reinforce each
other for optimal
learning, and provide
flexibility for
accommodating individual
learning differences.
This educational
methodology embodies
teaching strategies
which are biologically
and linguistically sound
and beneficial to all
language learners. As a
general principle,
knowledge for
understanding and
sufficient practice for
mastery promotes
efficiency of language
acquisition. For the
dyslexic person, the
emphasis on step-by-step
development of skill has
proven essential to both
early success and
lasting results.
TEACHING
Teaching, as well as
learning, has many
dimensions. While we,
the educators, are
keeping the structure of
the language in mind, we
need to remember the
learner’s need for a
program that is at once
multi-sensory,
phonetically based,
structured, sequential,
cumulative, and
rational. As a logical
consequence of the
Orton-Gillingham
history, the type of
program which has
developed is based on
teaching the language
continuum to an
individual, from birth
to mature competence. We
need both education for
understanding the
principles of the
language, and training,
or practice, to make the
learned elements
retrievable and the
processes automatic.
These skills need to be
acquired through all the
sensory avenues of
learning open to the
student—visual,
auditory, kinesthetic,
and tactile, in
interactions summarized
as a multisensory
approach. While all the
input and output
modalities are being
used, there is the full
realization that clear
vision, sharp hearing,
and controlled muscles
are but the necessary
servants. The mind is
the master. It is in the
end not just the eye,
the ear, the voice or
the hand, but the brain
which learns both to
read in order to
understand and to write
that others may read.
And so we teach the
language as it is to the
individual as he or she
is—a human nervous
system with a unique
configuration as a
thinking, learning
person. |
