What characterizes the Orton-Gillingham Approach to teaching?

The Orton-Gillingham Approach is characterized by its use of a multisensory method to teach language skills, which is essential for students, particularly those with dyslexia or other reading difficulties. This approach integrates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile elements to enhance learning and memory retention. By engaging multiple senses during instruction, it helps students make connections between sounds, letters, and words, thereby improving their reading and writing abilities.

Multisensory teaching involves activities that might include tracing letters in sand while saying their sounds, using colored overlays for reading practice, or engaging in phonics-based games that get students moving. This comprehensive method supports a variety of learning styles and allows for more individualized instruction, catering to each student's unique needs and challenges in language acquisition. This focus on Diverse learning modalities is what sets the Orton-Gillingham Approach apart from other methods.