Why is Orton-Gillingham Needed
​The Orton-Gillingham Approach
​Orton Gillingham Content

Why is Orton-Gillingham Needed?

 The National Institutes of Health report that one in six people in the United States have difficulty learning to read. They also report that 75% of children identified as having reading difficulties after nine years of age continue to have difficulties throughout High School. Traditional methods for teaching reading are ineffective with this population of children and adults.

In 1999 the National Reading Panel submitted a report to Congress showing that a successful reading program should consist of systematic phonics instruction integrated with phonemic awareness, fluency, and comprehension strategies.

The Orton-Gillingham method has been successfully used for more than 75 years and incorporates these recommended components of a successful reading program. Orton-Gillingham is a structured, multi-sensory phonics approach. It is systematic, proceeding from simple to complex, and it is cumulative in that new information builds on what has been previously learned. Multi-sensory reinforcement and practice cements new learning into long-term memory. Although it is structured, the program is also flexible, which means that the method can be adapted by building on the strengths of the individual while providing remediation of weaknesses.