Orton-Gillingham Reading Instruction in 
San Diego 

A systematic, explicit approach to helping students understand how reading works

Orton-Gillingham is a structured, systematic, and explicit approach to reading instruction. It was originally developed to support individuals who experienced difficulty learning to read, and it is widely associated with instruction that makes the structure of language more visible and understandable.

Rather than asking students to memorize isolated rules or simply practice the same skill repeatedly, Orton-Gillingham instruction teaches reading through a carefully sequenced approach. Students learn how sounds, letters, syllables, spelling patterns, and meaningful word parts work together.

The approach is:

  • Structured: Skills are introduced in an organized sequence.
  • Systematic: Instruction follows a planned progression rather than relying on random practice.
  • Explicit: The instructor directly explains and models the skill.
  • Cumulative: Previously learned skills are continually reviewed and connected to new learning.
  • Multisensory: Students may use seeing, hearing, saying, moving, and writing to strengthen learning.
  • Responsive: Instruction is adjusted based on what the student knows and what they are
    ready to learn next.
woman in pink long sleeve shirt sitting in front of macbook pro

Why I Incorporated Orton-Gillingham Into My Practice

As a classroom educator and literacy specialist, I worked with students who were bright, capable, and eager to succeed but continued to struggle with reading. I wanted a more systematic way to understand the specific skills that were creating difficulty and a clearer framework for explicitly teaching those skills.

That led me to pursue Orton-Gillingham training.

This training became an important part of my professional development because it strengthened my ability to look beneath a student’s reading performance.

The goal is not to assume that every student needs the same lesson. The goal is to identify the specific skill that needs attention and provide instruction that is clear, intentional, and appropriately sequenced.

What Orton-Gillingham Instruction May Address

Depending on the student’s needs, instruction may include:

  • Phonemic awareness
  • Sound-symbol relationships
  • Letter-sound correspondence
  • Blending and segmenting
  • Decoding unfamiliar words
  • Short- and long-vowel patterns
  • Digraphs, blends, and syllable types
  • Spelling patterns
  • Multisyllabic word reading
  • Word structure and meaningful word parts
  • Reading accuracy
  • Fluency development
  • Encoding and spelling

Orton-Gillingham instruction is especially useful when a student has persistent difficulty with
foundational reading skills, including students who may show characteristics associated with
dyslexia or other language-based learning differences. However, the approach can also benefit
students who simply need more explicit, structured instruction in a particular area of reading.

A child uses a laptop for a session with an online writing tutor service in San Diego, CA.
girl in purple and black long sleeve shirt holding black pen writing on white paper

How This Looks in an Online Lesson

Online instruction does not have to mean passive screen time. Lessons may include direct explanation, teacher modeling, oral practice, sound manipulation, word building, reading controlled text, spelling, and immediate feedback.

Each lesson is adjusted to the student’s current level of understanding. I may slow down, revisit a previously taught concept, provide additional modeling, or move forward when the student
demonstrates readiness.

The purpose is to help students become more accurate, confident, and independent readers—not simply to complete a worksheet or finish a list of words.

Orton-Gillingham Is One Part of a Larger Literacy Approach

Orton-Gillingham is an important instructional framework, but it is not a complete reading program by itself, and it is not a substitute for understanding the whole learner

Strong literacy instruction may also need to address:

  • Vocabulary
  • Oral language
  • Reading comprehension
  • Background knowledge
  • Fluency
  • Written expression
  • Sentence structure
  • Organization of ideas
  • Study skills
  • Academic confidence

At Readiscover Literacy, I use my classroom experience, literacy intervention background, writing expertise, and specialized training to determine what each student needs next.

A child uses a laptop for a session with an online writing tutor service in San Diego, CA.
Young teacher helps a schoolboy with writing at a desk, fostering learning.

Is Orton-Gillingham Right for Your Child?

Orton-Gillingham–informed instruction may be appropriate if your child:

  • Continues to guess at unfamiliar words
  • Has difficulty connecting sounds and letters
  • Struggles to blend or segment words
  • Needs explicit instruction rather than repeated independent practice
  • Has been identified with dyslexia or another language-based learning difference

The best starting point is an individualized conversation and assessment of the student’s current reading skills. From there, instruction can be designed around the specific areas that need strengthening.

Learn More or Schedule a Consultation 

If you believe your child may benefit from structured, explicit reading instruction, I would be happy to discuss your concerns and help determine the next step.