What Is Orton-Gillingham and Does It Actually Work? | Harmon School

Phonics card work — a core component of Orton-Gillingham instruction

What Is Orton-Gillingham and Does It Actually Work?

If your child has been diagnosed with dyslexia, chances are you've heard the term "Orton-Gillingham" thrown around by teachers, specialists, or other parents in online forums. But what does it actually mean — and more importantly, does it work?

Here's what every parent should know.

What Is Orton-Gillingham?

Orton-Gillingham (OG) is a structured, systematic approach to teaching reading and spelling that was developed in the 1930s by neurologist Samuel Orton and educator Anna Gillingham. It was specifically designed for students who struggle with reading due to language-based learning differences like dyslexia.

Unlike traditional reading instruction, which often asks kids to memorize whole words or guess from context clues, OG breaks language down into its smallest parts — sounds, letters, and patterns — and teaches them in a deliberate, logical sequence. Each concept is taught explicitly before the next one is introduced.

The approach is also multisensory, meaning students learn through sight, sound, and touch simultaneously. A child might say a sound out loud, write it in the air, and tap it on the table all at once. This engages multiple pathways in the brain, which research shows is particularly effective for dyslexic learners.

Does Orton-Gillingham Actually Work?

Yes — and it's one of the most research-supported approaches in the field of reading instruction.

Decades of studies have shown that structured literacy approaches like OG produce measurable gains in reading accuracy, fluency, and comprehension for students with dyslexia. The International Dyslexia Association endorses structured literacy as the gold standard for dyslexia instruction, and a growing number of states are now requiring OG-based training for classroom teachers.

That said, results depend heavily on implementation. OG works best when it is delivered by a trained, certified teacher in a consistent, structured environment — not as an occasional supplement to a general education classroom. Frequency and fidelity matter enormously.

What Is BLS and How Does It Relate to OG?

Basic Language Skills (BLS) is a structured literacy curriculum that is based on Orton-Gillingham principles. It follows the same systematic, multisensory framework but packages it into a complete, sequential program that certified teachers can use with students one-on-one or in small groups.

At Harmon School, our dyslexia therapy teachers are certified in both OG methodology and BLS, meaning your child gets instruction that is not only research-backed but delivered with genuine expertise — not a watered-down version pieced together from a weekend workshop.

What Should Parents Look for in an OG Program?

Not all programs that claim to use Orton-Gillingham are created equal. Here are the questions worth asking:

Is the teacher formally certified in OG or a structured literacy program like BLS? Certification requires significant training and supervised practice — it's not a short course.

Is the instruction delivered consistently, multiple times per week? Sporadic OG instruction produces sporadic results. Students with dyslexia need regular, repeated exposure to make lasting progress.

Is the program truly individualized? OG is designed to meet each student where they are, not to move the whole class through a curriculum at the same pace.

Is the rest of the school environment supportive? A student receiving OG therapy in a school that otherwise overwhelms them with large classes and fast-paced instruction is fighting an uphill battle.

The Bottom Line

Orton-Gillingham works. But it works best when it is part of a school environment that is built around how dyslexic students actually learn — not bolted onto a system that was never designed for them in the first place.

That's the difference Harmon School was built to make. If you'd like to learn more about how we deliver dyslexia therapy in our small online classroom, visit our [Dyslexia Therapy page] or schedule a call with our founders.