Multisensory
Children see a letter, say its sound, hear it, and write it, so the learning holds through sight, sound, and touch at once, not memorization alone.
The Orton-Gillingham approach
Orton-Gillingham tutoring in Minnesota
The reading approach built for dyslexia, taught one-on-one. Here is what Orton-Gillingham is, why it works when regular classroom teaching does not, and how we use it at our Saint Paul and Oakdale centers and online.
What it is
What is Orton-Gillingham?
Orton-Gillingham is a way of teaching reading and spelling that was developed nearly a century ago specifically for people with dyslexia. Rather than expecting a child to absorb reading through exposure, it teaches the sounds and patterns of English directly and in a logical order, one step at a time.
It is not a single boxed curriculum. It is a set of principles that the most trusted dyslexia programs are built on, and it is the approach that decades of reading research consistently support for struggling readers.
Why it works
What makes an Orton-Gillingham lesson different
The same qualities that help a dyslexic reader help any child who has fallen behind.
Structured & cumulative
Skills are taught in a deliberate sequence, and each new one rests only on skills already mastered, so the foundation is never left shaky.
Diagnostic
The tutor watches exactly where a child stumbles and adjusts in the moment, reteaching until it is solid before moving on. This is why it must be one-on-one.
How we teach it
Orton-Gillingham, through the Barton System.
At Learn to Learn we deliver the Orton-Gillingham approach using the Barton Reading & Spelling System, a leading Orton-Gillingham based program designed for one-on-one tutoring of students with dyslexia. Students build words with color-coded tiles, turning the sounds and patterns of English into something they can see, hear, and move with their hands.
Every student works one-on-one with a trained tutor, at their own pace, and we never advance until a skill is genuinely solid. See our full approach and real progress results ›
Also for math
The same idea, for math.
We rebuild math the same structured, hands-on way with Math-U-See, and support dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and ADHD. See who we help ›
Common questions
Orton-Gillingham, answered
What is Orton-Gillingham?
A structured, multisensory approach to teaching reading and spelling, developed for people with dyslexia. It teaches the sounds and patterns of English explicitly and in a logical order, engaging sight, sound, and touch together. It is the foundation most modern dyslexia reading programs are built on.
Is the Barton Reading & Spelling System an Orton-Gillingham program?
Yes. Barton is an Orton-Gillingham based, structured literacy program designed for one-on-one tutoring of students with dyslexia. It is the program we teach with at Learn to Learn.
Do you need a dyslexia diagnosis to start?
No. A diagnosis is never required. Every student begins with a free consultation and an assessment. Orton-Gillingham based instruction helps any child who has fallen behind in reading, not only those with a formal diagnosis.
Where do you offer Orton-Gillingham tutoring?
At our Saint Paul and Oakdale centers, and live online for families anywhere in Minnesota.
Let’s talk
Wondering if this is what your child needs?
That is exactly what the free consultation is for. No cost, no pressure.