If your child struggles with reading, you have probably heard the term “Orton-Gillingham method” mentioned by teachers, tutors, or other parents. But what does this method actually involve, and why do so many reading specialists consider it the gold standard for teaching children who find reading difficult?
Explore the PRIDE Reading Program, a structured Orton-Gillingham curriculum designed to make professional-grade reading instruction accessible to every teacher, tutor, and parent.
The Orton-Gillingham method is a structured, multisensory approach to teaching reading, writing, and spelling. It was originally developed for students with dyslexia, but decades of classroom experience have shown that it works well for any learner who needs clear, step-by-step instruction. This article breaks down the method’s core principles, explains how it helps struggling readers, and shows what a typical lesson looks like in practice.
The History Behind the Orton-Gillingham Method
The Orton-Gillingham method traces its roots to the 1930s, when neuropsychiatrist Dr. Samuel Torrey Orton began studying children who had difficulty learning to read. Orton noticed that many of these children were intelligent and capable in other areas but seemed to process written language differently. He hypothesized that reading difficulties were connected to how the brain organizes language, not to a lack of intelligence.
Orton partnered with educator and psychologist Anna Gillingham, who translated his research into a practical teaching framework. Together, they created a method that relied on direct instruction, sequential skill-building, and the use of multiple senses during lessons. Gillingham published the first instructional manual in 1935, and the approach has been refined by educators and researchers ever since.
Over the past 90 years, the Orton-Gillingham method has influenced dozens of structured literacy programs and shaped how schools across the country teach reading to students with dyslexia and other learning differences.
What Makes the Orton-Gillingham Method Different?
Many reading programs rely on memorization, repetition, or the hope that children will “pick up” reading patterns through exposure. The Orton-Gillingham method takes a different approach. It teaches reading skills directly, in a specific order, and engages the student’s eyes, ears, and hands at the same time.
Five principles set this method apart from other reading programs:
- Multisensory instruction: Students see a letter, say its sound out loud, and trace or write it at the same time. This combination of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic input creates stronger memory pathways.
- Explicit teaching: The instructor teaches each rule and pattern directly. Students are never expected to figure out phonics rules on their own.
- Sequential and cumulative: Skills build on each other in a logical order. Students master short vowel sounds before moving to long vowels, blends before digraphs, and single-syllable words before multisyllable words.
- Individualized pacing: Lessons move at the student’s speed. A child does not advance to a new concept until they demonstrate mastery of the current one.
- Diagnostic teaching: Instructors continuously assess what the student knows and adjust their teaching based on that information.
These principles are what researchers refer to when they describe the Orton-Gillingham method as “systematic and explicit.” The approach leaves nothing to chance, and that structure is exactly what struggling readers need.
How Does Multisensory Instruction Help Struggling Readers?
Multisensory instruction is the most recognizable feature of the Orton-Gillingham method. But why does it matter so much for children who struggle with reading?
When a student learns a new letter or sound through only one sense, like looking at a flashcard, the brain forms a single connection. If that connection is weak (as it often is for students with dyslexia), the information does not stick. Multisensory learning creates multiple pathways in the brain at the same time. The student hears the sound, sees the letter shape, and physically writes or traces it. These three inputs reinforce each other and make the new information more durable.
Here is an example of how this works in practice. Imagine a student learning the “sh” digraph:
- Visual: The student looks at a card showing the letters “s” and “h” together.
- Auditory: The instructor says the /sh/ sound, and the student repeats it.
- Kinesthetic: The student writes “sh” on paper, traces it in sand, or builds it with letter tiles.
By the end of that exercise, the student has encoded “sh” through three different sensory channels. Research shows that this kind of multi-pathway encoding is especially effective for students whose brains process text differently, including students with dyslexia, auditory processing difficulties, and attention challenges.
Why Is the Orton-Gillingham Method Called the Gold Standard for Dyslexia?
Dyslexia affects roughly 1 in 5 students, making it the most common learning difference. Students with dyslexia typically have difficulty with phonological processing, which means they struggle to connect letter symbols with their corresponding sounds. Traditional reading programs that rely on whole-word recognition or context clues are often a poor fit for these learners.
The Orton-Gillingham method works for students with dyslexia because it addresses the root of the difficulty: the connection between sounds and letters. Instead of asking students to memorize whole words, it teaches them to decode words sound by sound, using a predictable and repeatable process.
Several factors contribute to its gold-standard reputation:
- Research support: The method aligns with what neuroscience tells us about how the brain learns to read. The National Reading Panel and the International Dyslexia Association both endorse systematic, explicit phonics instruction as the most effective approach for struggling readers.
- Decades of refinement: With more than 90 years of use across schools, clinics, and tutoring settings, the method has been tested and improved by thousands of practitioners.
- Alignment with the Science of Reading: The Science of Reading movement, which now drives reading instruction policy in more than 40 states, draws heavily on Orton-Gillingham principles.
- Flexibility: While the method is structured, it adapts to each student. A tutor can slow down, review, or adjust the sequence based on what the student needs on any given day.
For families navigating a dyslexia diagnosis, choosing the right reading program is one of the most important decisions they will make. Programs rooted in the Orton-Gillingham method consistently produce measurable results because they teach reading the way the brain actually learns it.
What Does a Typical Orton-Gillingham Lesson Look Like?
One reason the Orton-Gillingham method is so effective is that every lesson follows a consistent structure. Students know what to expect, which reduces anxiety and frees up mental energy for learning. A typical lesson includes the following components:
1. Review of previously learned material. The lesson begins with a quick drill of sounds, letters, or words the student has already been taught. This reinforces earlier learning and identifies any concepts that need more practice.
2. Introduction of new material. The instructor teaches one new concept, such as a spelling rule, a vowel team, or a syllable type. The concept is introduced through direct instruction, with the teacher explaining the rule clearly and modeling how to apply it.
3. Multisensory practice. The student practices the new concept using multiple senses. They might build words with letter tiles, write them on a whiteboard, tap out sounds on their arm, or trace letters in textured material like sand or shaving cream.
4. Controlled reading practice. The student reads words, sentences, or short passages that include the sounds and patterns they have learned so far. No guessing is involved, because every word in the passage uses phonics rules the student already knows.
5. Dictation and spelling. The instructor dictates words or sentences, and the student writes them. This reverses the reading process: instead of decoding text, the student is now encoding sounds into written form.
This predictable format gives students a sense of control and confidence. Many children who have experienced repeated reading failure in traditional classroom settings begin to relax and engage once they start working within this consistent framework.
See how the PRIDE Reading Program structures its lessons to deliver Orton-Gillingham instruction in a format that parents, tutors, and teachers can use immediately.
Who Benefits from the Orton-Gillingham Method?
While the method was originally designed for students with dyslexia, it has proven effective for a much wider range of learners. The structured, explicit approach benefits anyone who has not yet cracked the reading code, regardless of the reason.
Students who benefit from Orton-Gillingham instruction include:
- Children with dyslexia who need systematic phonics instruction to build decoding skills
- Struggling readers without a diagnosis who have fallen behind their peers and need targeted intervention
- English language learners who benefit from explicit instruction in English sound-letter relationships
- Students with auditory processing difficulties who learn more effectively through visual and hands-on activities
- Older students and adults who missed foundational reading skills and need to fill in gaps
The method is most commonly used in one-on-one tutoring or small-group settings, where the instructor can tailor the pacing and content to the individual student. However, structured programs like the PRIDE Reading Program have adapted Orton-Gillingham principles for classroom use, making the approach accessible in settings that serve more students at once.
Orton-Gillingham Method vs. Other Reading Approaches
Parents and educators sometimes wonder how the Orton-Gillingham method compares to other popular reading programs. Here is a brief comparison:
| Feature | Orton-Gillingham Method | Balanced Literacy | Whole Language |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phonics instruction | Systematic and explicit | Mixed (phonics + context) | Minimal or incidental |
| Multisensory approach | Yes, in every lesson | Occasionally | Rarely |
| Skill sequencing | Strict, cumulative order | Flexible | Not sequenced |
| Mastery requirement | Yes, before advancing | Varies | No |
| Effectiveness for dyslexia | Strong research support | Limited evidence | Not recommended |
| Best for | Struggling readers, dyslexia | General population | Strong natural readers |
The Orton-Gillingham method is not the only effective approach to reading instruction, but it is the one most widely supported by research for students who need structured intervention. For children who are already reading at or above grade level, a less intensive approach may work fine. For children who are falling behind, the explicit, structured nature of Orton-Gillingham gives them the tools they need to catch up.
How PRIDE Reading Program Uses the Orton-Gillingham Method
The PRIDE Reading Program was built on Orton-Gillingham principles and designed to make this type of instruction accessible to anyone, not just trained specialists. Created by Karina Richland, M.Ed., over more than 20 years of curriculum development, the program translates the Orton-Gillingham method into a fully scripted format that parents, teachers, and tutors can follow without prior training.
Key features of the PRIDE Reading Program include:
- Fully scripted lessons: Every lesson tells the instructor exactly what to say and do, removing the need for extensive preparation or specialized training.
- Built-in multisensory activities: Each lesson incorporates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic tasks, following the same multisensory principles that define the Orton-Gillingham method.
- Sequential, cumulative structure: The program spans multiple levels, from pre-reading skills through advanced phonics and reading comprehension, with each level building on the one before it.
- Integrated assessment tools: Placement tests and progress monitoring are built into the curriculum, so instructors always know where a student stands.
- Mastery-based progression: Students must demonstrate 80% mastery before moving to the next concept, ensuring no gaps are left behind.
The program is used by school districts across the country, including some of the largest in the nation, as well as by homeschooling families and private tutors. Its scripted format means that a parent with no teaching background can deliver the same quality of Orton-Gillingham instruction that a trained reading specialist would provide.
Browse PRIDE Reading Program curriculum options and find the right level for your child or students.
How to Know if the Orton-Gillingham Method Is Right for Your Child
Not sure whether your child would benefit from an Orton-Gillingham program? Here are some signs that point toward this type of structured intervention:
- Your child guesses at words instead of sounding them out
- Reading has not improved despite extra practice at home or school
- Your child confuses similar-looking letters like b, d, p, and q
- Spelling is inconsistent, with the same word spelled differently each time
- Your child avoids reading or becomes frustrated during reading time
- A teacher or specialist has mentioned dyslexia screening or reading intervention
If any of these signs sound familiar, an Orton-Gillingham-based structured literacy program can give your child the targeted support they need. The sooner intervention begins, the more effective it tends to be, though students of any age can benefit from this approach.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Orton-Gillingham Method
Is the Orton-Gillingham method only for students with dyslexia?
No. The method was originally developed for students with dyslexia, but it is effective for any learner who needs structured, explicit reading instruction. This includes struggling readers, English language learners, and students with other learning differences.
How long does it take to see results with Orton-Gillingham instruction?
Most families and teachers notice improvement within the first few weeks of consistent instruction. Measurable gains in decoding, fluency, and spelling typically appear within two to three months, though the timeline depends on the student’s starting level and the frequency of lessons.
Do I need special training to teach using the Orton-Gillingham method?
Traditional Orton-Gillingham instruction requires significant training and certification. However, programs like the PRIDE Reading Program have created fully scripted curricula that allow parents, teachers, and tutors to deliver Orton-Gillingham-based instruction without prior specialized training.
Can older students or adults benefit from the Orton-Gillingham method?
Yes. The method works across age groups because it targets fundamental reading skills. Older students and adults who struggle with reading can use the same structured, sequential approach to fill in gaps and build stronger decoding and spelling abilities.
What is the difference between Orton-Gillingham and structured literacy?
Structured literacy is a broader term that describes an approach to reading instruction based on systematic, explicit teaching of phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. The Orton-Gillingham method is one of the earliest and most well-known forms of structured literacy. Many modern reading intervention strategies are based on Orton-Gillingham principles.
Give Your Child the Reading Support They Deserve
The Orton-Gillingham method has helped millions of students learn to read over the past nine decades. Its structured, multisensory approach gives struggling readers the clear, step-by-step instruction they need to build real reading skills. Whether your child has been diagnosed with dyslexia or is simply behind in reading, this method offers a proven path forward.
The PRIDE Reading Program brings Orton-Gillingham instruction into your home or classroom in a format anyone can use. With fully scripted lessons, built-in assessments, and a curriculum that covers every stage of reading development, it removes the guesswork from teaching reading.
Start your child’s reading journey with PRIDE Reading Program today.