WHAT IS DYSLEXIA?
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
-This definition was adopted by the IDA Board of Directors, 2012
WHAT IS THE ORTON-GILLINGHAM APPROACH?
The Orton-Gillingham Approach (OG) is a direct, explicit, multisensory, structured, sequential, cumulative, diagnostic, and prescriptive way to teach literacy when reading, writing, and spelling does not come easily to individuals, such as those with dyslexia.
OG practitioners focus on the individual needs of each student. Students with dyslexia need to be taught the rules of the English language in a direct and systematic, multisensorial approach to build upon their strengths and remediate their weaknesses.
Orton-Gillingham is an instructional approach that is evidence-based, and a scientifically-proven way to remediate dyslexia. The Orton-Gillingham approach allows students to make connections and create neural pathways to improve the brain's neuroplasticity.
As dyslexia is neurobiological in nature, it comes with many benefits. Individuals with dyslexia may exhibit many of the following traits:
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The ability to problem-solve in novel ways
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Improved pattern recognition
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Immense creativity
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Improved spatial knowledge and reasoning
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Visual thinking
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Heightened interconnected reasoning
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Substantial listening comprehension skills
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Ability to astutely analyze stories
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Entrepreneurial qualities
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Excellent long-term memory from experiences, locations, and faces
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Persistent and hardworking