Originally published March 2026
When a child struggles with reading, many families begin exploring Orton-Gillingham tutoring after hearing the same messages again and again:
They’ll grow out of it.
Let’s wait and see how this next year goes.
I’m not worried about them quite yet.
For parents watching their child work hard without making progress, that advice can feel unsettling and unhelpful.
For students with dyslexia (or suspected dyslexia), waiting is rarely the best path forward. The right intervention, delivered early and intentionally, can make a meaningful short-term and long-term difference. One of the most widely researched and effective approaches for supporting students with dyslexia is the Orton-Gillingham approach.
This guide is designed to help Colorado Springs families understand what Orton-Gillingham is, how it supports students with dyslexia, and how to decide whether it may be the right fit for their child.
Orton-Gillingham is a structured, research-based approach to reading instruction designed to support students with dyslexia. It focuses on building strong foundational skills through explicit, personalized, and multisensory instruction.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
By the end, you’ll have a clearer understanding of how targeted reading support can help your child build confidence, skills, and a more positive relationship with learning.
Orton-Gillingham (often called OG) is an instructional approach designed specifically for students who struggle with reading due to dyslexia. Rather than assuming literacy skills will develop naturally over time, OG teaches literacy skills directly and systematically.
At its core, Orton-Gillingham instruction is:
This approach helps students understand how language works, rather than asking them to memorize weekly spelling words or rely on “sounding it out.”
Dyslexia affects how the brain processes language, particularly the connection between sounds and letters. For many students, traditional classroom instruction doesn’t provide enough explicit practice in these foundational skills.
Orton-Gillingham supports dyslexic learners by:
When instruction matches how a student’s brain learns, progress often feels more achievable—and confidence follows.
Many families arrive at Orton-Gillingham tutoring after hearing messages that don’t align with what they’re seeing at home. Some of the most common misconceptions include:
Not all Orton-Gillingham instruction looks the same. At Strive Learning Solutions, we take a highly personalized, data-driven approach to OG tutoring for elementary students.
Our process includes:
Most students meet two to three times per week, which allows for consistency, skill reinforcement, and meaningful progress.
This structured approach helps ensure that instruction is intentional, responsive, and aligned with each child’s needs.
Orton-Gillingham may be a good fit if your child:
For many Colorado Springs families, OG provides clarity and direction after years of uncertainty.
Every student’s journey is different, but families often notice:
Progress builds over time, especially with consistent, well-structured support.
Choosing the right support can feel overwhelming, especially when you’ve already tried multiple options. Talking with an experienced educator can help clarify whether Orton-Gillingham instruction is appropriate for your child and what kind of support would be most helpful moving forward, including dyslexia screeners.
Strive Learning Solutions partners with Colorado Springs families to provide personalized, expert-led dyslexia support rooted in research, collaboration, and care.
Orton-Gillingham is a structured, research-based approach to reading instruction designed to support students with dyslexia through explicit, multisensory teaching.
Orton-Gillingham targets the specific language-processing challenges associated with dyslexia by teaching literacy skills systematically and directly, rather than relying on memorization.
Orton-Gillingham may be a good fit if a child struggles with decoding, spelling, or reading fluency despite effort. A consultation can help determine whether structured literacy support is appropriate.
Many students benefit from meeting two to three times per week, which allows for consistent practice, skill reinforcement, and steady progress over time.
Strive uses a data-driven, highly personalized Orton-Gillingham approach that includes baseline assessments, individualized instruction, and quarterly progress reports for Colorado Springs families
Both formats can be effective when instruction is structured and individualized. The best option depends on the student’s learning style, schedule, and level of support needed.
Brian Allender is the founder of Strive Learning Solutions, a specialized tutoring company focused on supporting neurodivergent students, including those with learning disabilities, dyslexia, ADHD, and autism. Strive Learning Solutions provides highly personalized, expert instruction to build both academic skills and confidence. With nearly a decade of experience working with neurodivergent students across all grade levels, Brian leads a team committed to empowering students to make meaningful, lasting progress.
