The Principles of Orton-Gillingham (Part 2)

This is part two of a blog series on the principles of Orton-Gillingham. You can read part 1, here.

Orton-Gillingham (OG) is a highly effective approach to teaching literacy, particularly for students with dyslexia. It is not a program but rather a framework grounded in research by Dr. Samuel Orton and Anna Gillingham. This approach is implemented through various Orton-Gillingham-based programs, but its principles unite practitioners worldwide, creating a shared language and methodology.

In the first part of this series, we explored some foundational OG principles: it is direct and explicit, individualized, structured, sequential, cumulative yet flexible, and emotionally sound. These core elements ensure the approach meets the unique needs of each learner. In this post, we’ll delve into five more key principles, focusing on how educators can embody them in their lessons to enhance student outcomes.

Here are the Remaining 5 Principles of Orton-Gillingham:

Principle 5: Diagnostic and Prescriptive

A hallmark of OG instruction is its diagnostic and prescriptive nature. Teaching with OG involves continuously assessing a student’s progress and using those insights to inform future instruction. 

For instance, if a student consistently confuses the /dr/ and /jr/ sounds, this issue might appear across multiple areas: phonemic awareness drills, word reading, and spelling. An OG practitioner would address this error systematically, weaving targeted practice into subsequent lessons until mastery is achieved.

Careful observation is key. Teachers must make detailed notes on student responses, including behavioral and verbal cues. These observations help educators refine their strategies, ensuring instruction addresses the root of the difficulty. However, teachers should balance assessment with instruction to avoid over-testing and focus on meaningful observations.

Principle 6: Language-Based and Alphabetic/Phonetic

OG is rooted in the structure and function of language, extending far beyond phonics. This principle acknowledges the complexity of the English language and incorporates elements such as:

• The alphabetic principle: Understanding sound-symbol relationships.
• Oral language skills: Building a foundation for reading and writing.
• English language history: Recognizing its layers—Anglo-Saxon, Latin, and Greek—and their influence on spelling, vocabulary, and grammar.

By integrating these elements, OG ensures students develop a deep understanding of language, equipping them to decode, spell, and comprehend effectively. For example, introducing morphological concepts like compound words or simple suffixes (e.g., -s, -ed, -ing) can begin as early as kindergarten. These concepts lay the groundwork for more advanced morphological instruction, such as teaching the doubling rule when adding vowel suffixes.

Principle 7: Simultaneous Multisensory

The multisensory nature of OG is an essential principle worth mentioning. OG integrates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile modalities to engage students in learning. This approach helps reinforce connections between sounds, symbols, and meanings, making instruction accessible and memorable.

Examples of multisensory activities include:

• Tracing letters while saying their sounds.
• Building words with letter tiles during spelling exercises.
• Using hand motions or tapping to segment and blend phonemes.

By engaging multiple senses, OG ensures that students with diverse learning profiles can access and internalize the material.

Principle 8: Synthetic and Analytic

Oh, these terms: synthetic and analytic! What do they mean, and why are they important?

Essentially, the synthetic approach moves from the parts to the whole. For instance, students might blend individual sounds, syllables, or other smaller units to form complete words. On the other hand, the analytic approach does the reverse, starting with the whole and breaking it into smaller, more manageable parts. This is where students might analyze a word to identify phonemes, morphemes, or syllables.

Think about encoding or spelling—students take the entire word they hear, analyze it, and then break it into its parts to write it down. And morphemes? These smaller, meaningful parts of words not only help students with spelling but also with vocabulary development and reading comprehension.

This reciprocal relationship between the synthetic and analytic approaches is vital. It ensures that students engage with language at both micro and macro levels, whether it’s moving from sound to meaning or meaning to sound. And, as we mentioned earlier, this aligns beautifully with the concept of speech-to-print and vice versa. Yes, we do both because they’re interconnected and complementary.

Principle 9: Cognitive

Cognitive instruction is about engaging learners in active participation and fostering their understanding of why they’re learning something and how to apply it.

Students aren’t passive recipients of knowledge; they need to be involved in their learning journey. They should be aware of the strategies they’re using, why those strategies work, and how to apply them beyond our intervention settings. This is where metacognition comes into play—thinking about their thinking.

The Role of Teacher Knowledge in OG Instruction

Successfully implementing OG requires extensive teacher training and a commitment to ongoing professional growth. 

Educators must:

• Deepen their knowledge of language structure and development.
• Learn to analyze errors critically and adapt lessons accordingly.
• Continuously refine their craft through practice and reflection

As educators advance in their training, they become more adept at embodying the diagnostic and prescriptive principle, weaving language-based instruction into every lesson, and delivering multisensory experiences that resonate with students.

Orton-Gillingham is more than a method; it’s a mindset grounded in a deep respect for the learner and a passion for language. Its principles guide educators in creating tailored, effective interventions that empower students to overcome challenges and achieve literacy success.

Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or practitioner, understanding and applying these principles can transform the learning journey for students with dyslexia, ensuring they not only master literacy skills but also gain confidence in their abilities.

For the full discussion, check out our latest episode of the Together in Literacy podcast. If you like what you hear, don’t forget to rate, leave a positive review, and subscribe!

We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast by sporting a t-shirt or sweatshirt!