Back-to-School Reading Struggles: When Does Your Child Need Orton Gillingham Tutoring?

The start of a new school year is an exciting time for many students. Yet for children with reading difficulties, challenges can become noticeable very quickly.

Your child may have difficulty decoding words; they may read slowly; or they may have trouble understanding what they read. Spelling can also become more difficult as words grow longer and more complex. You may even notice your child beginning to avoid reading altogether.

Although some adjustment challenges are normal at the start of the year, persistent or worsening reading difficulties may indicate a need for more targeted support. For students with dyslexia and other reading challenges, Orton Gillingham tutoring can help build the foundational reading and spelling skills they need to succeed.

If you’d like to learn more about this approach, read about Orton Gillingham tutoring for dyslexia and reading difficulties at Orton Gillingham Tutoring in Manhattan for Dyslexia & Reading Success.

What Is Orton Gillingham Tutoring?

Orton Gillingham is a structured, sequential, and multi-sensory approach to teaching reading and spelling. The approach explicitly teaches how sounds, letters, syllables, and word parts work together, with instruction progressing systematically from simpler concepts to more complex ones.

With Orton Gillingham instruction, students learn how sounds correspond to letters and letter combinations, how to break down longer words into syllables, and how to spell accurately. Instruction typically progresses from simpler concepts to more complex ones while continuously reviewing and integrating previously taught skills.

Orton Gillingham instruction is also multi-sensory, meaning it integrates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic/tactile modalities. Students might simultaneously see, hear, say, write, and manipulate letters or words as they learn new concepts. This multi-sensory approach helps students make connections between sounds, letters, and written words.

While Orton Gillingham tutoring is commonly associated with dyslexia, students do not necessarily need a dyslexia diagnosis to benefit from this type of explicit, systematic reading instruction. The approach can also help students who struggle with core reading and spelling skills.

Back-to-School Signs That Your Child May Need Additional Reading Support

Many children have occasional difficulties with a particular reading assignment. However, when struggles occur consistently and interfere with a child’s ability to read accurately, fluently, or independently, you may want to seek targeted intervention for them.

Below are some signs you may notice at the start of the school year:

1. Your Child Guesses at Unfamiliar Words

Rather than carefully sounding out words, your child may look at the first letter and “guess” at the word. For example, they might read “there” instead of “they,” or substitute a word that seems to make sense in the sentence.

Consistent guessing may indicate that your child has not developed effective decoding skills.

2. Reading Is Slow and Laborious

Some children can accurately read words, but their reading is slow and requires tremendous effort. They may read word by word, pause often, or need more time than expected to complete a reading passage.

When a child devotes substantial effort to decoding individual words, there may be fewer resources available for understanding and remembering what they read.

3. Your Child Has Trouble Sounding Out New Words

Skilled readers use decoding skills to figure out unfamiliar words they have never seen before. Struggling readers, however, may have difficulty identifying individual sounds, blending sounds together to form words, or recognizing common spelling patterns.

If your child repeatedly asks you to tell them what unfamiliar words are rather than attempting to decode them, it may be worth looking into why.

Learn about signs your child may need a tutor at 7 Signs Your Child Needs a Tutor: How to Know When to Get Help – EBL Coaching.

4. Spelling Is Particularly Difficult

Reading and spelling skills are closely related. A child who struggles with reading may also have trouble blending sounds together to spell words accurately.

You may notice that your child’s spelling is inconsistent, they omit sounds when writing, or they have difficulty applying spelling rules even after the rules have been taught.

5. Your Child Avoids Reading

Children who struggle with reading often try to avoid it as much as possible.

Your child may complain when it is time to read, select books that are well below their other academic abilities, ask you to read directions out loud to them, or speed through reading assignments.

Sometimes what may look like a lack of motivation is actually a response to a task that feels particularly difficult.

6. Reading Difficulties Are Affecting Other Subjects

As students progress through school, the reading demands increase rapidly.

Sometimes students can grasp science, history, or math concepts when they are explained aloud, but they struggle to read textbook chapters, written directions, or word problems.

In these situations, a reading weakness can start to affect performance in essentially all subjects.

Learn more about reading tutoring for struggling readers in NYC at Best Reading Tutors in NYC for Struggling Readers – EBL Coaching.

7. Your Child Has Difficulty Reading Longer, Multi-syllabic Words

Reading demands evolve as children move through school. A student who was able to read simple words effectively in earlier grades may struggle once texts contain longer, multi-syllabic words.

Systematic instruction can teach students how to break down longer words into syllables and individual word parts rather than approaching the entire word at once.

8. The Same Reading Problems Keep Appearing Year After Year

Some children show temporary reading struggles, while others have more persistent difficulties.

If teachers have brought up similar concerns to you in the past or your child has received general reading tutoring without making sufficient progress, you may want to consider a more individualized, systematic, multi-sensory approach.

Should You Wait to Get Reading Support?

Some families may feel their child just needs time to settle into the school year before considering additional support.

However, persistent difficulties with core reading skills such as decoding, spelling, reading fluency, and reading comprehension can negatively impact all aspects of school. If your child is showing early struggles, it’s better to take action sooner than later.

Try to avoid waiting until your child is struggling immensely before seeking support. If you have concerns about your child, you may want to reach out to your child’s teacher about what they are seeing in the classroom. Ask the teacher which specific reading skills appear to be difficult for your child and how your child’s performance compares with grade-level expectations.

A reading assessment can also provide helpful information about your child’s strengths and weaknesses.

How Can Orton Gillingham Tutoring Help?

A key element of Orton Gillingham instruction is that lessons are individualized to address each student’s specific needs and areas of difficulty in reading.

While it depends on the individual student, Orton Gillingham instruction may focus on skills such as:

• Phonemic awareness
• Sound-symbol relationships
• Decoding words
• Spelling words
• Syllable patterns
• Prefixes, suffixes, and roots
• Reading fluency
• Vocabulary and comprehension

With Orton Gillingham tutoring, skills are taught explicitly and systematically, and new concepts build upon skills the student has already learned.

Can Orton Gillingham Tutoring Help Older Students?

Orton Gillingham tutoring doesn’t only help beginning readers.

Middle school and high school students may continue to struggle with decoding, spelling, fluency, or reading comprehension. For some students, strong vocabulary, intelligence, or comprehension skills may have helped them compensate for reading challenges when passages were simpler.

As academic demands increase, however, those compensatory techniques may not work as well.

Orton Gillingham instruction for an older student should be age-appropriate and customized to the skills that are challenging for them. It’s important not to make an adolescent work through elementary-level material if they don’t need it; instead, the idea is to identify gaps and systematically target them.

Finding the Right Reading Support

If your child is struggling with reading, try to determine exactly where they are struggling.

Some students may have difficulty manipulating sounds within words. Another child may know phonics patterns but struggle to apply them automatically when reading. Other students may decode accurately but read so slowly that it impacts their comprehension.

The more precisely the areas of weakness can be identified, the more targeted the Orton Gillingham instruction can be.

Orton Gillingham Tutoring in NYC and NJ

EBL Coaching provides individualized, one-on-one Orton Gillingham tutoring in New York City, Northern New Jersey, and surrounding areas to students who struggle with reading, spelling, and other foundational literacy skills. We work with elementary, middle, and high school students, including students with dyslexia and those who have not received a formal diagnosis.

Our Orton Gillingham instruction is tailored to each student’s individual reading skills and areas of difficulty. Depending on the student’s needs, lessons may focus on phonemic awareness, sound-symbol relationships, decoding, syllable patterns, spelling, word structure, reading fluency, and comprehension.

In New York City, EBL Coaching works with students in Manhattan and nearby areas. In New Jersey, we work with students in Englewood, Bergen County, Northern New Jersey, and surrounding areas.

If your child is struggling with reading or spelling, individualized Orton Gillingham tutoring can provide explicit, systematic instruction designed to strengthen the specific skills they need to become more confident and capable readers.

Learn more about Orton Gillingham tutoring in NJ and what parents should know when considering this approach at Orton Gillingham Tutoring in NJ: What Parents Should Know – EBL Coaching.

Frequently Asked Questions About Orton Gillingham Tutoring

What is Orton Gillingham tutoring?
Orton Gillingham tutoring uses a structured, explicit, multi-sensory approach to teaching reading and spelling. The instruction breaks language into smaller components and teaches students how sounds, letters, syllables, and word parts work together.

Does my child need to have dyslexia to use Orton Gillingham?
No. While Orton Gillingham was originally designed for students with dyslexia, a formal dyslexia diagnosis is not required for a student to benefit from Orton Gillingham tutoring.

How do I know whether my child needs Orton Gillingham tutoring?
You may want to consider seeking Orton Gillingham instruction for your child if they consistently struggle to sound out unfamiliar words, guess at words, read slowly, struggle with spelling, or avoid reading.

At what age should a child start Orton Gillingham?
There is no exact age when Orton Gillingham instruction should begin. The appropriate time depends on your child’s reading skills and individual needs. Younger students may need support for foundational skills, while older students might need more targeted instruction to address gaps in decoding, spelling, or reading fluency.

Can middle school and high school students benefit from Orton Gillingham?
Yes, absolutely. Older students who continue to struggle with decoding, spelling, or reading fluency may benefit from Orton Gillingham instruction. Lessons should be individualized to their specific needs and use age-appropriate materials.

How often should a child receive Orton Gillingham tutoring?
The frequency at which a child should receive Orton Gillingham tutoring should depend on their skill level and overall needs. Consistency is key, since lessons are built upon previously taught concepts. A student’s instructional plan should be customized to their needs and shouldn’t follow a one-size-fits-all schedule.

How is Orton Gillingham different from regular reading tutoring?
General reading tutoring may focus on homework or grade-level assignments. Orton Gillingham instruction, however, is much more targeted and focuses on systematically teaching the structure of written language, including sound-symbol relationships, decoding, spelling, syllable patterns, and word structure.

Can Orton Gillingham help with spelling as well as reading?
Yes! Reading and spelling are related components of literacy. Effective Orton Gillingham instruction typically incorporates both decoding and spelling skills.

Should I wait until parent-teacher conferences to address reading concerns?
If your child is struggling, don’t wait until parent-teacher conferences to take action. If you’re noticing reading difficulties at the beginning of the school year, reach out to your child’s teacher and ask if they are noticing similar struggles. Early communication can help gauge whether your child is simply adjusting to the new school year or showing signs of a deeper reading issue.

Is Orton Gillingham only for elementary school students?
Absolutely not! Orton Gillingham tutoring can be used with students of different ages, including middle school and high school students. Older students may continue to have difficulty with decoding, spelling, reading fluency, or other foundational literacy skills even if they have developed strong vocabulary or comprehension skills. For older students, instruction should be age-appropriate and focus on the specific skills that need strengthening.

How long does Orton Gillingham tutoring take to work?
Progress from Orton Gillingham tutoring depends on various factors, such as the student’s current reading and spelling skills, areas of difficulty, frequency and consistency of instruction, and individual learning needs. Because Orton Gillingham instruction is systematic and cumulative, students generally need consistent instruction and practice over time.

Where can I find Orton Gillingham tutoring in NYC or New Jersey?
EBL Coaching provides one-on-one Orton Gillingham tutoring to students with reading and spelling difficulties in New York City and Northern New Jersey, including the Upper East Side, Manhattan, Englewood, Bergen County, and surrounding areas.

If your child is struggling with reading, direct, systematic instruction, such as Orton Gillingham tutoring, can help them develop their reading and spelling skills and improve their self-confidence.

About the Author

Dr. Emily Levy is the founder and director of EBL Coaching and has more than 20 years of experience helping students strengthen their reading, writing, math, study, and executive functioning skills. She has worked with thousands of students with dyslexia, ADHD, learning disabilities, and other academic challenges.

Dr. Levy is the author of the Strategies for Study Success student workbook series, the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook program, and the Flags and Stars Multi-Sensory Math student workbook series. She speaks nationally at educational conferences and frequently appears on podcasts as an educational expert. Her expertise has also been featured in publications including Newsweek, Autism Parenting Magazine, The Epoch Times, and Macaroni KID. Read more about Dr. Levy at About Dr. Levy ADHD treatment New York City.