Orton Gillingham Tutoring

Service Description

An Orton-Gillingham (OG) tutoring session is a personalized, structured, and multisensory approach to teaching reading, spelling, and writing, designed especially for students with dyslexia and other Specific Learning Disability (SLD). It focuses on breaking language down into smaller, more manageable parts and explicitly teaching the connections between letters and sounds. After the initial intake discussion or diagnostic lesson, all Orton-Gillingham tutoring sessions must be scheduled with Kathleen. She will coordinate the session duration, time of day, and weekly frequency in accordance with your child's needs. Please contact Kathleen to arrange all sessions at 604-992-7933. Here’s a glimpse of what a typical OG session might look like: 1. Review: The session often starts with an extensive review of previously learned concepts, like phonograms (letter-sound combinations), and rules to reinforce memory. 2. New Concept Introduction: The tutor introduces a new concept, such as a new phonogram (like /th/ or /ing/), a spelling rule, or a syllable type. The instruction is explicit and systematic. 3. Multisensory Practice: OG uses a multisensory approach, engaging the student’s visual, auditory, and kinesthetic senses. For example, a student might: - Visual: Look at a letter or word. - Auditory: Say the sound or word out loud. - Kinesthetic: Write the letter or word in sand, on a textured surface, or in the air. 4. Reading Practice: The student practices reading words, sentences, and passages that incorporate the new concept, often using controlled text that limits the vocabulary to what has been explicitly taught. 5. Spelling Practice: The student practices spelling, first by hearing a word, breaking it down into sounds, and then writing it. This reinforces the connection between sounds and letters. 6. Dictation: The tutor might dictate words or sentences, and the student writes them down, using their knowledge of phonics and spelling rules. 7. Games and Activities: To keep things engaging, there are often educational games or activities tailored to the student’s learning level and interests. 8. Wrap-Up and Review: The session usually ends with a review of the day’s work and a preview of what’s coming next. The tutor might also assign simple reinforcement activities for at home. The goal is to build the student’s reading, writing, and spelling skills step-by-step, fostering confidence and a love for learning! Each session is 55 minutes long.