Orton-Gillingham Approach: Foundations of Reading

Orton-Gillingham Approach: Foundations of Reading

Read the passages and answer the questions that follow. Pay close attention to the principles of the Orton-Gillingham Approach.

The Orton-Gillingham (OG) Approach is a highly structured, multisensory method for teaching reading, writing, and spelling. Developed by neurologist Dr. Samuel Orton and educator Anna Gillingham in the 1930s, it was initially designed to help individuals with dyslexia. The OG approach emphasizes explicit, systematic, and direct instruction, breaking down language into its smallest components (phonemes and morphemes) and building them back up. It is diagnostic and prescriptive, meaning instruction is tailored to the individual student's needs, based on continuous assessment. Key principles include simultaneous multisensory instruction (using visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile pathways), systematic and cumulative teaching, and a focus on phonology, sound-symbol association, syllable instruction, morphology, and syntax.

1. Which of the following is NOT a key principle of the Orton-Gillingham Approach?

2. The Orton-Gillingham Approach was originally developed to assist individuals with:

3. The Orton-Gillingham Approach breaks down language into its smallest components, such as   and  .

4. Instruction in the OG approach is both diagnostic and  , meaning it is customized to the student's needs.

5. The Orton-Gillingham Approach focuses on combining visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile pathways for learning.

6. The OG approach relies heavily on group instruction and standardized curriculum for all students.

7. Explain in your own words what 'multisensory instruction' means within the context of the Orton-Gillingham Approach.