7 Signs Your Child May Need Orton-Gillingham Tutoring
If your child is bright, curious and high achieving but reading feels uncharacteristically hard for them, you are not alone. Many parents are faced with this same dilemma. If you’ve ever wondered, “Why does my child understand stories read aloud, but is unable to comprehend what they read independently?” Orton-Gillingham instruction may be the solution. This structured, multi-sensory approach is designed to teach reading and spelling explicitly and systematically.
Here are seven signs that your child may benefit from 1:1 Orton-Gillingham tutoring.
Your Child Guesses at Words Instead of Sounding Them Out
If your child is consistently guessing words based on its first letter or the picture associated with it, this often indicates weakness in phonological processing and decoding.
Example:
- Your child sees can and says cat.
Reading Is Slow and Strenuous
Even when your child can read the words correctly, the process may feel unusually slow.
Examples:
- Frequent pauses
- Sounding out simple 2-3 letter words repeatedly
- Losing place while reading
- Fatigue after short reading tasks
Ove time, reading should become more automatic. When it doesn’t, targeted intervention may be necessary.
Spelling Is Much Harder Than Expected
Children with dyslexia or other reading difficulties often struggle to remember spelling patterns even after repeated practice.
Examples:
- Phonetic but incorrect spellings (e.g., “sed” for “said”)
- Inconsistent spelling of the same word
- Difficulty remembering simple sight words (e.g., the, to, were)
Orton-Gillingham teaches the structure of the English language (and its tricky rules!), helping students understand why words are spelled the way they are. By limiting the guess work and empowering students with the reasons behind the spellings, you decrease uncertainty and increase progress.
Reading Comprehension Drops During Independent Reading
Many struggling readers comprehend well when listening to others, but struggle when reading on their own. If your child requires lots of mental energy when decoding, less is available for understanding the text. Ask yourself: Does my child understand books read aloud but struggle to explain what they read after reading a story independently?
Homework Causes Frustration or Avoidance
Children rarely fake frustration. Why would they? If reading homework consistently leads to tears, stomachaches, procrastination, or complete shutdown, there may be an underlying skill gap rather than a motivation issue.
Family History of Dyslexia or Reading Difficulties
Research suggests that a large percentage of dyslexia susceptibility comes from genetic factors. In short, dyslexia tends to run in families. If a parent, sibling, or close relative had significant reading or spelling difficulties, it is worth paying attention to and seeking early intervention.
Progress Has Stalled Despite Extra Practice
Many families spend months on flashcards, reading apps, or repeated practice without seeing meaningful improvement. More practice is not always the answer. Sometimes students need an approach that is proved to be effective.
Why Orton-Gillingham Is Different
Orton-Gillingham instruction is:
- Explicit: all skills are taught directly rather than assumed
- Systematic: concepts are taught in a carefully sequenced order
- Multisensory: students learn through visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities
- Diagnostic: instruction is adjusted based on the student’s progress and individualized needs
For many students, this approach provides the structure they need to build accurate phonological awareness, decoding, spelling, fluency and comprehension skills. Orton-Gillingham touches on all these components in a fun, kid-friendly format!
What You as a Parent Can Do Next
- Observe which of the signs above apply to your child
- Schedule an educational evaluation to better understand your child’s individual strengths and needs
- Seek structured literacy instruction using Orton-Gillingham from an Educational Specialist here at Child and Family Development
Early intervention matters. The sooner struggling readers receive appropriate instruction, the quicker they can become the confident reader you know they can be! The Education Team at Child & Family Development offers FREE phone consultations for parents. If you have questions, we’d love to talk. Schedule your call with an Educational Specialist today!
