Many children struggle to read, and teachers and parents often wonder what they can do differently. The Orton-Gillingham approach is one of the most effective methods for teaching reading, especially for students with dyslexia or other reading difficulties. Rooted in over 80 years of research, this structured literacy method uses multisensory techniques to teach phonics, decoding, and spelling in a way that sticks.
Explore the PRIDE Reading Program, an Orton-Gillingham curriculum designed to make structured literacy instruction easy for teachers, tutors, and parents.
This guide walks you through the principles behind Orton-Gillingham, what a typical lesson looks like, and how to start teaching reading with this approach, even if you have no prior training. You will also find a comparison of traditional OG certification versus accessible alternatives, strategies for common challenges, and answers to the questions educators ask most.
What Is the Orton-Gillingham Approach?
The Orton-Gillingham approach is a direct, explicit, and systematic method of teaching reading and spelling. Dr. Samuel Orton, a neurologist, and Anna Gillingham, an educator, developed it in the 1930s to help children who were struggling to learn to read through conventional methods. Their work formed the foundation of what we now call structured literacy.
Unlike programs that rely on memorization or whole-language strategies, Orton-Gillingham breaks the English language into smaller, learnable parts. Students are taught the relationships between letters and sounds (phoneme-grapheme connections) in a logical sequence. Each lesson builds on the one before it, and students don’t move forward until they have mastered the current material.
For a deeper look at the methodology, see What Is the Orton-Gillingham Approach?
The 5 Principles That Make Orton-Gillingham Work
Five core principles set Orton-Gillingham apart from other reading programs. Understanding these principles is the first step toward using this method effectively in your classroom or at home.
- Multisensory instruction. Every lesson engages sight, sound, and touch at the same time. A student might see a letter on a card, say its sound aloud, and trace the letter in a tray of sand or on textured paper. This combination activates multiple pathways in the brain, which helps the student store and recall information more reliably.
- Structured and sequential. Concepts are taught in a specific order, starting with single consonant and short vowel sounds and progressing to digraphs, blends, vowel teams, and multisyllabic words. No concept is introduced until the prerequisites are mastered.
- Cumulative. Each lesson reviews previously taught material before introducing anything new. A student working on consonant blends, for example, will still practice single letter sounds and short vowel words at the start of every session.
- Diagnostic and prescriptive. The teacher continuously monitors each student’s progress and adjusts instruction accordingly. If a student is struggling with a particular concept, the teacher revisits that concept with additional practice before moving on.
- Explicit. Nothing is left to guessing. Rules are taught directly, with clear explanations and examples. Students learn why “ck” appears at the end of a short vowel word, not just that it does.
These five principles work together to create a method that is both thorough and flexible enough to meet each student where they are.
What Does an Orton-Gillingham Lesson Look Like?
A standard OG lesson follows a predictable structure. That consistency is part of what makes it effective: students know what to expect, which reduces anxiety and builds confidence. Here is a breakdown of the typical lesson flow.
- Review of previously learned sounds. The teacher holds up phoneme cards, and the student says each sound. This takes about 3 to 5 minutes and reinforces automatic recall.
- Introduction of a new concept. The teacher explicitly introduces a new sound, rule, or pattern using multisensory techniques. For example, when introducing the digraph “sh,” the teacher shows the letters, says the sound, and has the student trace the letters while repeating it.
- Word reading practice. The student reads a list of words containing both the new concept and previously learned patterns. This is where decoding skills are put to work.
- Spelling and dictation. The teacher dictates sounds, words, and sentences. The student writes them down, applying the spelling rules they have learned. This is the encoding component, the reverse of decoding.
- Connected text reading. The student reads a short passage or decodable text that uses controlled vocabulary. This builds fluency and shows the student that reading is purposeful.
A full lesson typically runs 45 to 60 minutes. For younger students or those with shorter attention spans, lessons can be split into two shorter sessions.
For a detailed template with practical examples for each component, see the Orton-Gillingham lesson plan guide.
Who Can Teach the Orton-Gillingham Approach?
Practitioners and Educators (AOGPE) requires hundreds of hours of coursework and supervised clinical hours. For many teachers and parents, that level of commitment is not realistic.
The good news is that certification is not a legal requirement to use the Orton-Gillingham approach. What matters is that the instruction follows OG principles with fidelity: multisensory delivery, structured sequencing, and diagnostic teaching.
Programs like the PRIDE Reading Program are designed to solve this problem. Every lesson is fully scripted, so the teacher, tutor, or parent knows exactly what to say and do during instruction. No guesswork, no planning from scratch. The free Orton-Gillingham training course offered by PRIDE gives educators a solid foundation in the methodology in about an hour.
| Factor | Traditional OG Certification | PRIDE Reading Program |
|---|---|---|
| Training time required | 200+ hours of coursework plus supervised practice | About 1 hour with the free training course |
| Cost | $5,000 to $15,000 or more | Program kits start at $94.90 per level |
| Lesson preparation | Teacher creates lesson plans from scratch | Fully scripted lessons with all materials included |
| Who can use it | Certified practitioners only | Teachers, tutors, and parents |
| Fidelity to OG principles | Depends on the teacher’s training quality | Built into every lesson |
How to Get Started With OG Instruction
Getting started with Orton-Gillingham does not require a complete overhaul of your teaching practice. Follow these steps to begin.
- Assess the student’s current reading level. Before you begin teaching, you need to know where the student is. A placement assessment identifies which phonics concepts the student has mastered and which ones need attention. The PRIDE online placement assessment is a free tool that determines the right starting level for each student.
- Choose a structured curriculum. OG is an approach, not a single program. Many curricula are based on OG principles. Look for one that includes fully scripted lessons, multisensory activities, and built-in assessments.
- Set a consistent schedule. Students benefit most from daily or near-daily OG sessions. Aim for 4 to 5 sessions per week, each lasting 30 to 60 minutes depending on the student’s age and attention span.
- Start at the student’s level, not their grade level. This is critical. If a fourth-grade student has not mastered short vowel sounds, begin with short vowels. Skipping ahead creates gaps that will show up later.
- Track progress and adjust. Use frequent informal assessments to monitor mastery. When a student scores 80% or above on a concept consistently, they are ready to move on.
Get the PRIDE Reading Program and start teaching structured literacy today. Fully scripted, multisensory, and ready to use right out of the box.
Common Challenges and How to Handle Them
Implementing Orton-Gillingham instruction is straightforward, but a few common challenges come up regularly. Here is how to handle them.
The student resists the pace
Older students sometimes feel frustrated when placed at a level below their grade. Be transparent about why you are starting where you are: “We are building a strong foundation so that everything after this gets easier.” Celebrate small wins and point out progress.
There is not enough time in the school day
OG does not need to replace your entire literacy block. Many teachers use a 30-minute pull-out or small-group session. Even three sessions per week will produce measurable results over time.
The student plateaus
Plateaus are normal. When a student seems stuck, go back to the most recent concept they mastered confidently and rebuild from there. Add extra multisensory practice: sand trays, letter tiles, arm tapping, or finger spelling.
Managing OG in a group setting
OG was originally designed for one-on-one instruction, but it works in small groups of 3 to 5 students at similar levels. Group alhy Multisensory Instruction Matters for Reading
The multisensory component of OG is not just a nice-to-have. It is the reason this approach works so well for struggling readers. When a student only sees a word on a page, they are relying on one pathway in the brain. When they see the word, say the sounds, and write the letters while feeling them, three pathways are activated at once.
This is especially important for students with dyslexia, who often have difficulty with the auditory processing of language. Adding tactile and kinesthetic input gives them alternative ways to store and retrieve phonetic information. Common multisensory activities include tracing letters in sand or shaving cream, tapping out syllables on the arm, using magnetic letter tiles to build words, and skywriting letters in the air with large arm movements.
Teachers new to OG often ask which multisensory tools they need. The answer is simpler than expected. A tray of salt or sand, a set of letter tiles, and some index cards for phoneme drills are enough to get started. The six components of structured literacy provide a broader framework for understanding how multisensory instruction fits into the overall picture.
What Results Can You Expect?
Students who receive consistent OG instruction typically show measurable improvement within 8 to 12 weeks. According to the National Reading Panel, systematic phonics instruction (the foundation of OG) produces significant gains in reading accuracy for students in kindergarten through sixth grade.
Results vary based on the student’s starting level, the frequency of instruction, and how closely the program follows OG principles. Students with dyslexia often need 1 to 2 years of consistent instruction to close the gap with grade-level peers, but progress is usually visible much sooner.
Key indicators of progress include improved accuracy when reading aloud, fewer letter or sound reversals, better spelling on dictated words, and increased willingness to attempt unfamiliar words instead of guessing. Tracking these markers week over week helps you determine whether the student is ready to advance or needs additional review at their current level.
For a deeper look at the research behind OG, see Evidence-Based Reading Instruction: What the Research Says.
Learn how the PRIDE Reading Program supports schools and districts with a complete, evidence-based Orton-Gillingham curriculum.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Orton-Gillingham method of teaching?
The Orton-Gillingham method is a structured, multisensory approach to teaching reading and spelling. It uses visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities to teach phonics rules in a logical, sequential order. Each lesson builds on previously mastered skills, and instruction is tailored to the individual student’s pace and needs.
What are the 5 steps to teaching reading?
The five key components of effective reading instruction are phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Orton-Gillingham focuses primarily on the first three, building a strong decoding foundation that supports vocabulary and comprehension development.
Is Orton-Gillingham only for students with dyslexia?
No. While OG was developed to support students with dyslexia, its structured approach benefits all readers. The explicit, systematic instruction is effective for English language learners, students with ADHD, and any learner who needs a clear, predictable approach to phonics and reading.
Do I need certification to teach with Orton-Gillingham?
Certification is not required. Programs like the PRIDE Reading Program provide fully scripted Orton-Gillingham lessons that allow anyone to teach with fidelity, regardless of their background or training level.
How long does it take to see results with Orton-Gillingham?
Most students show measurable progress within 8 to 12 weeks of consistent instruction (4 to 5 sessions per week). The pace depends on the student’s starting level, the severity of their reading difficulties, and how consistently instruction is delivered.
IDE Reading Program provide fully scripted Orton-Gillingham lessons that allow anyone to teach with fidelity, regardless of their background or training level.
How long does it take to see results with Orton-Gillingham?
Most students show measurable progress within 8 to 12 weeks of consistent instruction (4 to 5 sessions per week). The pace depends on the student’s starting level, the severity of their reading difficulties, and how consistently instruction is delivered.