Did you know that schools and school districts all across the country are beginning to unlock the power of the Orton-Gillingham reading approach? No longer is it being used as a one-on-one or RTI program for at-risk students, but it is also being used in general education classrooms for all kids. All children in school benefit from an Orton-Gillingham classroom instruction. On today’s post I will share tips for teachers and schools on how to implement Orton-Gillingham in the classrooms and schools.
Here is how to set up Stations in the Orton-Gillingham Classroom
During your 30 minute Orton-Gillingham block, set up multiple stations for the kids to work at.
On Mondays, you will need to discuss each station and what you expect from the class at these stations, and then the children will utilize these stations all week.
There are times when you can keep the stations for 2 weeks depending on the difficulty of the concept you are teaching.
Each station will need a whiteboard with clear and specific directions and tasks you expect the group to accomplish.
First, Teach the Concept to the Entire Class
The whole class will start out with you, and then branch out into rotations with specific tasks at each station.
Station 1
This will include Red Word (sight word) work. You can have the students use sand trays to spell a list of words, or trace sight words with crayons on a bumpy surface. You can also have sight word flashcards, and students can practice together with partners. Memory game sight words with the group works well here too.
Station 2
This will include letter tiles and word building activities for the students. Have a long list of words that the students can build with their letter tiles.
Station 3
This will include fluency drills. You can have your students partner up and read through the drills with each other.
Station 4
Games are the best!!! This station can consist of playing a game with the concept that they are practicing. Again they can play these with partners or as a whole group.
“How do I Manage the Orton-Gillingham Classroom?”
Here are some options that seem to work well for the Orton-Gillingham classroom…
Option 1: Teachers across the grade can coordinate multiple groups into multiple levels.
Let’s use a 1st grade classroom at any school as an example:
1. First, each student in 1st grade is given a Level Placement in the Orton-Gillingham program and then placed into a group according to skill level not grade level.
2. Then, the 1st grade teachers determine who will be teaching which Orton-Gillingham level.
For example:
Ms. Smith in Rm #1 teaches Level 1, Ms. Keen in Rm #2 teaches Level 2, Ms. Adams in Rm #3 teaches Level 3, etc.
3. Next, a time is determined when the Orton-Gillingham lessons will be taught. (I recommend 30 minutes a day, four or five days a week). This still allows the teachers enough time in the day to also implement the school or district’s language arts curriculum.
4. Finally, at a set time that is determined, students go to their designated teachers and classrooms for a large group instruction in the Orton-Gillingham Program.
Option 2: Use an instructional assistant or parent volunteer to help teach groups within each classroom.
Let’s use Ms. Smith’s class as an example:
1. First, each student in Ms. Smith’s classroom will take an Orton-Gillingham Level Placement and be assigned to a group. Each group can have 5-6 students in it.
2. Then, Ms. Smith will decide who will help her teach the group daily. She can use an instructional assistant or parent volunteer.
3. Next, a time is determined when the Orton-Gillingham Program is taught. As mentioned above, we recommend 30 minutes a day, five days a week. This still allows Ms. Smith to implement the school’s language arts curriculum to all students in the classroom.
4. Finally, students rotate groups within the classroom and the Orton-Gillingham Program is being taught in a small group with either the teacher, instructional assistant or a parent volunteer.
“Which Orton-Gillingham Classroom Program is the Easiest to use?”
The PRIDE Reading Program is the easiest option for schools and districts to implement the Orton-Gillingham approach.
With the PRIDE Reading Program, there is no need for extensive training or advanced understanding of the spelling and reading rules that are being taught.
PRIDE’s easy to follow, 100% scripted and lesson planned, step-by-step Teaching Guide will walk instructors through each skill and how to teach it, making this curriculum ideal for schools and districts that need to quickly and inexpensively implement a Structured Literacy Program.
Teachers do not have to develop any lesson plans or do any preparation. Everything in this program is laid out for the teachers step by step. Each lesson includes everything a teacher needs for the Orton-Gillingham classroom!
Thank you for reading my blog today!
