The Orton-Gillingham Approach

Sandhills School is the only Orton-Gillingham accredited college-preparatory 1st-12th grade school in South Carolina. Sandhills uses the Orton-Gillingham approach, a brain-based, research-proven instructional approach for intelligent students struggling to acquire reading and writing skills.

The renowned Orton-Gillingham approach to teaching has proven to be the best instruction for educating students with dyslexia and similar learning differences. Infinitely adaptable, Orton-Gillingham offers evidence-based, multisensory instruction that encourages students to think. We actively incorporate the auditory, visual, tactile and kinesthetic modalities and integrate the educational technology when appropriate.

Previously taught material is continually reviewed and new material is introduced systematically, so that the student may experience a high degree of success in every lesson, and gain confidence as well as skill. Sandhills uses the students’ achievement to develop self-confidence and make learning a positive experience.

Research Based, Proven Success

The Orton-Gillingham Principles at Work

Diagnostic & Prescriptive

Individualized

Language-Based and Alphabetic/Phonetic

Simultaneous Multisensory

Language Training and Orton-Gillingham instruction at Sandhills School engages the auditory (hearing), visual (seeing), and kinesthetic (movement) neural pathways, simultaneously.

Students are often drawing in sand, writing in shaving cream, or counting syllables on beads, and these are all ways that a student enhances their learning, leading to better understanding and memory recall. These activities stimulate the brain in various ways, reinforcing learning and memory formation.

Direct & Explicit

Sandhills language training is presented in a systematic way that all concepts are clearly stated, modeled, and practiced. Our teachers never make assumptions of what a student "should know" or "should have learned" by a certain grade or age. Every student is assessed where they are and that is where instruction begins. All concepts at Sandhills School are explicitly taught and students understand what it is they are learning and why.

Structured, Sequential, and Cumulative, but Flexible

Orton-Gillingham classes are logically organized with well set procedures and routines that move from the simplest to the most complex elements of the English language. Our teachers frequently spiral back to reinforce previously taught skills to achieve a level of automaticity.

Sandhills teachers are keen practitioners that are able to recognize when instruction may require flexibility based on the individuals in their classes.

Synthetic and Analytic

Synthetic & Analytic

Orton-Gillingham practitioners at Sandhills School teach students in both a "part of the whole" and "whole of its parts" approach. For example, students are taught to break down a whole word into individual sounds and syllables. This reciprocal instruction helps students become proficient readers and writers by addressing their specific needs and building a strong foundation in language skills

Cognitive

Instead of memorizing lists of words and practicing rules by rote, Sandhills students are engaged in what they are learning and why they are learning it. They learn the logic and rationale behind what they are learning. Sandhills teachers teach our students strategies that will eventually lead to independent application to new language situations.

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The Orton-Gillingham Approach

The Orton-Gillingham Principles at Work

Diagnostic & Prescriptive

Diagnostic & Prescriptive

Individualized

Individualized

Language-Based and Alphabetic/Phonetic

Language Based & Alphabetic/Phonetic

Simultaneous Multisensory

Simultaneous Multisensory

Direct & Explicit

Direct & Explicit

Structured, Sequential, and Cumulative, but Flexible

Structured, Sequential, and Cumulative, but Flexible

Synthetic and Analytic

Synthetic & Analytic

Cognitive

Cognitive

Emotionally Sound

Emotionally Sound