The History of Orton Gillingham Tutoring

Orton Gillingham tutoring is basically an approach conceived and designed by two people - Samuel T. Orton and Anna Gillingham. It is misinterpreted by many as a program, wherein it is just an approach, which only a well trained and experienced trainer can use effectively with the dyslexic people.

The Use

The Orton Gillingham approach is directed towards helping people who have problem in writing, reading and spelling. These are usually associated with dyslexics.

The main content and the practice that forms the foundation of the Orton Gillingham tutoring approach is taken from two sources – proven knowledge and practice approved and legalized over 70 years.

The second source is the scientific evidence of how humans learn to read and write; how some people find it difficult to read and write; why dyslexia makes attaining literacy skills difficult; and the instructional method well suited for helping such people read and write.

The founders

Orton Gillingham approach is all work of contribution of Samuel T. Orton and Anna Gillingham. Orton was a pathologist and neuropsychiatrist. His work revolved around reading and language processing difficulties. By 1925, he had recognized dyslexia as an educational problem.

Anna Gillingham was a psychologist and educator, had a command over the language. By 1930s, Dr. Orton got instructional techniques published. This became the foundation for the Orton Gillingham tutoring.  

Orton Gillingham Approach is one-on-one teacher-student instructional model often applied in small group instructions. It has been successfully done in the classrooms. Though it was initially designed for students with reading, writing and spelling difficulties, it has been found to be more effective for students in mathematics.

Summing up

Students afflicted with dyslexics are required to hone their language skills and its relation with writing. Orton Gillingham Tutoring is their savior since they need special help; they get it aptly with it.

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How to take care of Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Classroom

A student suffering from Autism Spectrum Disorder can face multiple problems in the classroom. It is a big challenge for the teacher too. He/she must start with understanding autism and how an autistic child can be helped. Below are a few things that a teacher can apply in the process.

Read carefully:

1.    Allot tasks in a sequence in a specific order.

2.   Use simple, tangible language. Use minimum words to put your point across.

3.   Educate them some social rules or skills. These include social distance and taking turns.

4.   Fewer choices make an autistic child choose things accurately.For instance, if there are balls in three colors, picking up one of the colors would be far easier than to choose from 6 or 7 colored balls for them.

5.   A blank stare means that a child has not understood the instruction. To make it clear, ask the child to repeat your question after you.

6.   Do not use sarcasm. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) do not understand it.

7.   Do not use idioms. This leaves children with ASD confused.

8.   Be clear and specific, if possible. Choices that are open ended would lead them to nowhere.

9.   Always use smaller sentences. Repeat and check to know if the child has understood what you said.

10. Make a clear daily routine.

11. Warn the child when there is a change in routine or activity.

12.Students usually do not understand what finish means. Showing them a picture of what a finished thing or work would look like will help them to do the activity appropriately.

13. Address them individually. Calling them with everyone doesn’t work.

14. A slight change in behavior or manner shows anxiety. Spot it.

15. Use different presentation forms – physical guidance, visual, etc. to help the child when he finds a certain thing difficult.

Summarizing

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental disorder in children. The teacher must possess the knowledge and the required skill to help the child understand, and develop his understanding skills.

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