What Is Orton-Gillingham?

In the 1930s, neuropsychiatrist and pathologist Dr. Samuel T. Orton and educator, psychologist Anna Gillingham developed the Orton-Gillingham approach to reading instruction for students with “word-blindness,” which would later become known as dyslexia. Their approach combined direct, multi-sensory teaching strategies paired with systematic, sequential lessons focused on phonics.

Today, the Orton-Gillingham approach is used around the world to help students at all levels learn to read.

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Orton-Gillingham and Structured Literacy

Structured Literacy is an umbrella term that was adopted by the International Dyslexia Association to refer to the many programs (like Orton-Gillingham) that teach reading by following the evidence and research behind the Science of Reading.

Programs that exemplify the components and methods that are outlined in the term, Structured Literacy, have been found to be beneficial for all students and essential for students who struggle with reading.

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35%
of 4th graders read at a "Below Basic" level*
43M
of US adults possess low literacy skills*
4X
students who do not read proficiently by 3rd grade likely to leave high school without a diploma vs. proficient readers*

Orton-Gillingham Training

Orton-Gillingham training is beneficial to all educators, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic where early literacy has been disrupted for young students.

For those interested in learning the Orton-Gillingham approach, programs that incorporate a broader Structured Literacy foundation have been shown to deliver strong outcomes.

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Orton-Gillingham Resources

1935 | Anna Gillingham
The Gillingham Manual
Remedial Training for Students with Specific Disability in Reading, Spelling and Penmanship
2006 | National Institute for Literacy
Put Reading First
The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read
2021 | IMSE.com
IMSE Training Overview
IMSE's free Comprehensive and Intermediate Training Overview is a 20-minute introduction to IMSE's Comprehensive and Intermediate Orton-Gillingham trainings
Sept. 18 2019 | IMSE Blog
What is Orton-Gillingham?
Orton-Gillingham is a highly structured approach that breaks reading and spelling down into smaller skills involving letters and sounds and then builds on these skills over time.

Making an Impact for Educators and Students

See how IMSE is delivering Orton-Gillingham and so much more to thousands of teachers and millions of students.

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