Definition
Orton-Gillingham is a structured, multisensory reading and spelling approach developed in 1930s America; in UK dyslexia teaching, its principles are widely used, although a 2021 meta-analysis found no statistically significant effect.
In context for parents
Key checkpoints
- Orton-Gillingham is an approach, not one programme: teaching is direct, explicit, cumulative and responsive to the learner.
- Samuel Orton and Anna Gillingham developed the approach in 1930s America; their teaching sequence was systematised in a 1936 manual.
- Since 2016, the International Dyslexia Association has used “structured literacy” as an umbrella term for teaching descended from Orton-Gillingham.
- In England, the same underlying principles appear in the DfE requirement for systematic synthetic phonics.
- Stevens et al. (2021) reviewed 24 studies and found a positive but statistically non-significant effect on foundational reading skills (ES = 0.22, p = .40).
- The EEF Toolkit reports phonics at +5 months, but evidence for the multisensory element itself is less direct than evidence for systematic, explicit teaching.
In lessons, Orton-Gillingham means making the sound-letter code visible and teachable in small steps. A pupil might hear a sound, say it, trace or write its spelling and then read it in words. Each lesson revisits secure learning before adding the next element. The teacher adjusts the sequence from the pupil’s errors rather than pressing on through a fixed worksheet.
I would not treat “Orton-Gillingham certified” as a UK kitemark. It belongs to an American training system. Here, I look for BDA-accredited teaching qualifications, including AMBDA or ATS, and ask how the teacher assesses, plans and records progress. An Assessment Practising Certificate (APC) relates to assessors, not proof that a particular intervention will work.
Across 24 studies, Stevens et al. (2021) found a positive mean effect on foundational reading, but it was not statistically significant (ES = 0.22, p = .40). Larger, better trials are needed. That does not make OG-style teaching unreasonable; systematic phonics, explicit instruction, cumulative review and decodable practice are well-supported components. Claims that a branded OG package is “proven” go beyond the data.
Schools need not buy an American-labelled product to use those active ingredients. At SEN Support, ask whether teaching is systematic and cumulative, whether the pupil receives it often enough to matter, typically two to five sessions each week, and whether progress is checked. The multisensory activity should serve the reading goal. More tracing is not automatically better teaching.
Related terms
The terms parents most often see alongside Orton-Gillingham.
Dyslexia
A specific learning difficulty affecting accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. It is independent of intelligence and typically responds well to structured, multisensory phonics teaching.
Specialist Teacher
A qualified teacher with additional accredited training in a specific area of SEND, for example dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, or autism.
Dysgraphia
A specific learning difficulty affecting written expression: letter formation, spacing, spelling, and getting ideas onto the page. Often co-occurs with dyspraxia or dyslexia.
SEN Support
The graduated approach used by schools to support children with SEND who do not have an EHCP. SEN Support follows an assess-plan-do-review cycle.
Multisensory teaching
Multisensory teaching is structured UK dyslexia instruction in which a child sees, says, hears and writes the same letter-sound link in one activity, in the Orton-Gillingham tradition begun in 1930s America.
Toe By Toe
Toe By Toe is a UK decoding manual published in 1993, taught one-to-one for up to 20 minutes daily, and reported by its publisher as being used in over 20,000 UK and Irish schools.
Where parents ask about this
“Orton-Gillingham” may appear in a tutor's claim even when a UK dyslexia report recommends only structured literacy. That mismatch prompts searches for “Orton-Gillingham UK”, “Orton-Gillingham tutor near me”, “best dyslexia programme UK” and “is Orton-Gillingham evidence based”. Parents also want to know whether multisensory phonics differs from the intervention already offered at SEN Support. The label alone cannot answer the useful questions: Is teaching explicit and cumulative? How frequently will it happen? What will be measured, and when will the plan change if reading does not improve? After reading the assessment and school records, a Beaakon specialist teacher can test the tutor's branded claim against the actual teaching plan and help specify the approach, frequency and progress checks the child needs.
References
The primary legislation, statutory guidance, research, and clinical tools this page draws on.