What is Orton-Gillingham?

At KGMS our tutors and teaching staff are trained in the Orton-Gillingham Method. Orton-Gillingham is an instructional approach intended primarily for use with persons who have difficulty with reading, spelling, and writing.  It is most properly understood and practiced as an approach, not a method, program, system or technique. In the hands of well-trained and experienced instructors such as we have at KGMS, it is a powerful tool of exceptional breadth, depth, and flexibility.

The essential curricular content and instructional practices that characterize the KGMS Approach are derived from two sources: first from the extensive research and practice surrounding both OG instruction and other effective methodology for working with students; and, secondly from our own specific experience of almost forty years observing how children learn to read and write and why a significant number have difficulty in doing so. Our staff members have a clear understanding of how having dyslexia makes achieving literacy skills more difficult and which instructional practices are best suited each individual child.

The Orton-Gillingham Approach is most often associated with a one-on-one tutor-student instructional model. However, its use in small group instruction is not uncommon. A successful adaptation of the approach has demonstrated its value for class-room instruction. Reading, spelling, and writing difficulties have traditionally been the dominant focus of the approach although it has been successfully adapted for use with students who exhibit difficulty with mathematics.

Multi-Sensory Approach

With this multi-sensory method, students engage themselves as visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners. The learning sequence is systematic and takes the student step by step from basic concepts that progress to more complex language developments. Through recognizing phonemes and their sounds, students learn to transfer this knowledge to reading and writing activities.

Students internalize their learning and gain confidence in themselves as being capable learners. Students learn at their own pace and benefit from the frequent review and practice that is required. They build the confidence that will enable them to attempt a challenge and reach for higher heights as a learner.

whole child Development

Academic excellence is what our staff strive for all our students.  Our students grow intellectually through our comprehensive programming in humanities and sciences.   In language arts our students, through guided reading and writing strategies, learn to connect with the world through texts, to analyze, evaluate, synthesize ideas and draw conclusions.   In mathematics and science, our students learn through problem solving to understand concepts and to become critical and divergent thinkers.     Creativity grows as our staff guide students to investigate and explore the world around us.

At Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School we know that learning is not just about academics. In addition to the balanced approach we take through the arts, physical activity and community service, we place a major emphasis on Social-Emotional Learning.

Our students explore relationships with their peers, raise their self-confidence and improve their interpersonal skills. In addition, our professional counsellors help them to reflect on such issues as bullying, body image, and healthy living.