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Is the Orton-Gillingham method enough for every struggling reader?
- Traci Tague
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
You've done everything right. So why is reading still hard?
You've invested months, maybe even years, in Orton-Gillingham tutoring. Your child knows the phonics rules. They can sound out words. But when it comes to actual reading? It still feels like a battle.
Sound familiar?
You're not alone. And more importantly, you're not imagining it.
Many parents find themselves in this exact position: their child has completed an Orton-Gillingham program or worked with an Orton-Gillingham-trained tutor, yet something still isn't clicking. The progress plateaus. The frustration grows. Here's the question that matters most:
Is Orton-Gillingham enough for your child, or do they need something more?
The answer isn't about whether Orton-Gillingham works. It does. The answer is about how it's being used, who's teaching it, and whether it's addressing all of your child's language needs.
Why Orton-Gillingham earned its reputation
Let's start with what makes Orton-Gillingham so respected in the first place. The Orton-Gillingham method is rooted in structured literacy and the Science of Reading. It's built on principles that have helped thousands of children with dyslexia learn to decode and spell. The approach emphasizes explicit instruction in phonics and sound-symbol relationships, uses multisensory techniques to engage visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning pathways, follows a systematic, sequential skill progression, and reinforces concepts through repetition until mastery is achieved.
For many children with dyslexia, this structured foundation is essential. It gives them the tools they need to crack the code of written language.
If you're new to the method or want to understand the fundamentals in more depth, we've created a comprehensive resource that explains how Orton-Gillingham works and why it's considered a gold-standard approach.
When Orton-Gillingham works beautifully
Orton-Gillingham can be transformative when certain conditions are in place. It tends to work exceptionally well when a child has clear, identifiable gaps in phonics and decoding skills. These are the students who benefit from knowing the rules and practicing them systematically. They thrive with structured, predictable lessons that build one skill on top of another. Consistency matters too - regular, frequent instruction allows the repetition to take hold. And perhaps most critically, they're working with an instructor who knows how to adjust the pacing, modify the sequence, and respond to the child's individual learning patterns.
When these elements align, Orton-Gillingham-based instruction can lead to significant improvements in decoding accuracy, spelling ability, and overall reading confidence.
When Orton-Gillingham alone falls short
This is the part that catches many families off guard. Your child completes an Orton-Gillingham program. They finish the workbooks. They pass the assessments. But they're still struggling just in different ways now.
Maybe they can decode words accurately, but their reading is painfully slow. Perhaps they're stuck on single-syllable reading and can't seem to build fluency. Or they read the words correctly but can't tell you what the paragraph was about. Some children can sound out "transportation" perfectly but have no idea what it means when they encounter it in a sentence.
These are not phonics problems. These are language processing problems.
And this is where many Orton-Gillingham programs, as effective as they are for decoding, reach their limit.
Children with dyslexia often have additional language needs that go beyond phonics instruction. They may struggle with vocabulary development, reading comprehension, processing speed, or applying their phonics skills to real-world reading situations. Phonics alone doesn't solve these challenges.
The problem isn't the method. It's the implementation.
Here's something most parents don't realize until they've already spent time and money on tutoring:
Not all Orton-Gillingham instruction is created equal.
Just because a program or tutor uses the Orton-Gillingham name doesn't mean your child is getting truly individualized, language-responsive instruction.
Some programs are highly scripted with little room for adaptation.
Some instructors follow the Orton-Gillingham sequence without assessing or addressing underlying language weaknesses.
And some children simply need support that goes beyond phonics, no matter how well those phonics are taught.
The method itself isn't the issue. The issue is whether the person delivering it has the clinical training to recognize when a child needs more, and the expertise to provide it.
How Ravinia goes beyond the script
At Ravinia Reading Center, we don't treat Orton-Gillingham as a program to complete. We treat it as a foundation to build on. Every session is led by a certified speech-language pathologist. That distinction matters more than most families realize.
Because our clinicians are trained in both literacy and language science, we can address phonology and the broader language systems that support reading. We integrate morphology and etymology so children understand not just how words sound, but how they're built and what they mean. We customize the pacing, the materials, and the instructional approach in every session based on what your child needs that day. And we don't stop at decoding. We actively support fluency, comprehension, and the use of reading as a tool for learning.
Rather than asking your child to fit into a program, we shape the instruction around your child.
That's the difference between program-driven tutoring and clinician-driven intervention.
Side-by-side: What makes Ravinia Different
Here's how our approach compares to traditional Orton-Gillingham programs:
Orton-Gillingham Programs | Ravinia's Approach | What This Means For Your Child |
Strong phonics foundation | Phonics + language processing | Addresses the root causes, not just symptoms |
Often scripted | Fully individualized | Instruction adapts to your child, not the other way around |
Program-driven | Clinician-driven | Expert judgment guides every decision |
Focus on decoding | Focus on decoding, fluency, and comprehension | Builds readers, not just decoders |
This is why so many families come to Ravinia after working with Orton-Gillingham-based tutors elsewhere. The foundation was there, but the building wasn't finished.
Where this fits in your child's reading journey
Let's be clear: Orton-Gillingham is not the problem.
For many children, it's a necessary and powerful starting point. The structure, the multisensory techniques, the systematic progression - all of these matter. But when progress slows, when your child can decode but still doesn't love reading, when comprehension lags behind decoding ability, that's often a signal. It means your child needs more than phonics instruction. They need language-based support that's layered on top of those Orton-Gillingham principles and customized to their unique profile.
Understanding this distinction enables parents to make informed, confident decisions about their child's intervention.
You're not starting over. You're building up.
Find out what your child actually needs
If you've been exploring Orton-Gillingham instruction and you're still wondering whether it's enough for your child, we can help you get clarity. Speak directly with a speech-language pathologist who will help you understand where your child is now, what's working, what's not, and what a truly customized, evidence-based intervention could look like for your family.