There is a growing number of Greek school children being defined as dyslexic. It has been estimated that 5% -10% of children suffer from some kind of dyslexia (5,13). Reading and writing difficulties are major problems in children with dyslexia, which may influence their abilities to speak, listen, write, read and comprehend in their native language (8). When there is a lack of phonemic and phonological awareness, poor working memory and orthographic processing issues in the native language (4,6), the learning of a foreign language may be a serious problem for those children. However, it is clear that dyslexic children should and can learn English as a second language, since English is becoming increasingly important in the curriculum of the schools. So, which specific curriculum can be effective, supportive and multisensory toward the needs of dyslexic students to be taught English, as a second language?
The Orton – Gillingham is a structured, sequential, repetitive, diagnostic teaching approach which is designed to help dyslexic children with their reading, writing and spelling. According to Borkowsky, F. (2018), the OG approach is the gold standard for teaching students with learning difficulties (11, pg.34). It uses multisensory techniques, which means that visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile pathways, are engaged in the learning process (1,9,10). All these senses and the ways that are engaged, operate simultaneously by linking all the pathways to the brain, resulting in more effective learning and enhancing memory. Learners can cope with their difficulties in a foreign language and thus developing an independent ability to read, spell, write and comprehend English, as a second language (2,3).
Each individualized and repetitive lesson plan of the Orton – Gillingham approach, is based on the most important components of the language structure. Through, the visual drill (show cards / says sounds), the students see the cards and say the sounds. Through the auditory drill (say sound / repeat sound / write), the students listen to the sounds of the phonemes, without seeing the cards and write them to the paper. Through the blending drill (beginning, middle and ending sounds), the students tap each card, say each sound and then slide the whole word (7,13).
During the teaching of red words (high frequency words), students, through arm tapping, finger sliding, finger tracing with the index finger, using 3 kinds of multisensory tools and finally writing (3x), learn to pronounce and write them correctly (7,14).
The material of OG approach is well organized and follows the logical order of the English language. It begins with the easiest skills and becomes more complex by using lots of repetition and practice for feedback (7,11). Therefore, dyslexic students can learn the letter sounds and the mixing of these sounds into syllables and words (sound/ symbol awareness), the sentence structure, the spelling, thus achieving reading comprehension and writing skills, in English as second language.
The Orton – Gillingham approach is a useful and very carefully structured program, which pays great attention to the learning of dictionary, reading, writing and spelling skills. It is an approach, which engages all the sensory pathways to help dyslexic students learn to read, write and enhance communication to a very satisfactory level.
References
1.Clark, D.B. (1988), Dyslexia: Theory and practice of remedial instruction, Maryland York Press
2.Ellis, A.W. (1993), Reading, writing and dyslexia: A cognitive analysis, 2nd ed. Lawrence Erlbaum, Associates, Ltd. Hove
3.Markou, S.N. (1996), Dyslexia: Left-handiness, kinetic clumsiness and hyperactivity, Third Edition, Greek Letters, Athens
4.SCHNEIDER, E., CROMBIE, M. 2003. Dyslexia and Foreign Language Learning. New York: David Fulton Publishers
5.Mitsiou, Gl. (2004) Neuropsychological approach and pedagogical intervention of the special learning disorders in all-day school, 4th Pan – Hellenic Pediatric Congress (23-10-2004)
6.Brown, H. (2008). “M & M’s for language classrooms? Another Look at Motivation.” Georgetown University Round Table on Language and Linguistics. Ed. James Alatis.Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press. 383-393.
7.The Orton – Gillingham Practitioner’s Notebook (pre-reader: P.K. remedial 1) (2017), Orton – Gillingham online academy
8.Sara Dalla Libera, (2015), Dyslexia and learning English as a foreign language: the phonological/orthographic teaching through the multisensory method, Master’s Degree programme – Second Cycle (D.M. 270/2004)
In European, American and Postcolonial language and literature
9.Rosen, P. (2015), Orton–Gillingham: What You Need to Know, Understood.org USA LLC
10.Bishop, H., Katz, D., McHugh, N.J. & Turner, L. (2018), The Orton – Gillingham Educators’ Guide, First Edition, by Whizzimo, LLC
11.Borkowsky, F. (2018), Falling Students or Failing Schools? A Parent’s Guide to Reading Instruction and Intervention, Cardboard Box Adventure Publishing
12.Brennan, D. (2017), What is dyslexia? WebMD
13.Kassotaki, A. (2016), Visual Perception Skills For Children with Dyslexia – Visual Memory, upbility.net
- Dimitriadou, I. (2019), High Frequency Words in Greek Language, upbility.gr
Ioanna Dimitriadou
Educational Psychologist, PgD
Member of British Psychological Society, GMBPsS, GBC