How the Orton-Gillingham Approach and Mote Work Together to Support Struggling Readers
The Orton-Gillingham Approach (OG) is a proven, research-based method for teaching reading, writing, and spelling—especially to students with dyslexia or other language-based learning difficulties. Developed in the early 20th century by neurologist Samuel Orton and educator Anna Gillingham, the OG approach remains a cornerstone of effective literacy instruction in both special education and general classrooms.
In this guide, we’ll explore the core principles of Orton-Gillingham and how digital tools like Mote can enhance instruction through multisensory engagement, personalized feedback, and accessibility supports.
✅ What Is the Orton-Gillingham Approach?
The Orton-Gillingham Approach is:
- Multisensory: Integrates visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile learning to reinforce reading and spelling skills.
- Structured, Sequential, and Cumulative: Begins with foundational skills and builds in a logical order.
- Explicit and Direct: Every concept is taught clearly and directly—no guessing required.
- Diagnostic and Prescriptive: Instruction is continually adjusted based on student performance.
- Language-Based: Emphasizes deep understanding of phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.
Originally designed for one-on-one tutoring, OG strategies are now widely used in small group instruction and Tier 3 RTI interventions across K–12 classrooms.
🔊 How Mote Supports the Orton-Gillingham Approach
Mote is a voice-first platform that brings audio and accessibility features into Google Workspace and other digital learning tools. Its features align naturally with Orton-Gillingham’s multisensory and individualized approach.
1. Multisensory Engagement
- Auditory Modeling: Teachers can embed voice notes into assignments, Google Docs, or Slides to model phonics patterns, spelling rules, or vocabulary.
- Repetition on Demand: Students can listen to instructions or pronunciation as often as needed, reinforcing auditory memory and confidence.
2. Just-in-Time, Personalized Feedback
- Teachers provide individualized voice feedback—ideal for correcting pronunciation, modeling a sound, or encouraging effort.
- Feedback supports OG’s diagnostic and prescriptive methodology.
3. Scaffolding and Differentiation
- Mote lets educators record step-by-step instructions for tasks like syllable segmentation, phoneme blending, or dictation.
- Reduces cognitive load for struggling learners by offloading working memory demands.
4. Student Voice Recording and Practice
- Students can record themselves reading or practicing phonemes, offering teachers real-time insight into decoding skills.
- Empowers learners to hear their own progress, a powerful motivator in OG-aligned classrooms.
5. Confidence Building
- Hearing a supportive teacher voice—or their own successful efforts—builds emotional resilience in learners who face reading challenges.
🎯 Practical Examples for Orton-Gillingham Classrooms
| Activity | How to Use Mote |
|---|---|
| Word Mapping | Teacher adds a Mote clip to a Google Slide, modeling the word. Students repeat and record. |
| Phonics Practice | Mote voice notes on digital cards guide articulation and reinforce accuracy. |
| Dictation Support | Record audio instructions for multi-step spelling and sentence-writing tasks. |
| Fluency Practice | Students read along with Mote and then record their own fluent readings. |
📚 Mote Sidebar Features for Orton-Gillingham Support
1. Read Aloud
- Models fluent reading with prosody and pacing.
- Ensures access to grade-level text, even when decoding is a barrier.
- Perfect for repeated reading practice of decodable passages.
Try this: Use Mote’s Read Aloud with digital decodable readers. Students follow along visually and aurally for full multisensory reinforcement.
2. Highlighter
- Promotes active engagement by letting students mark phonics patterns, sight words, or morphemes.
- Use color-coded systems for sound rules (e.g., silent ‘e’, blends, digraphs).
- Highlights can feed into flashcards and vocab lists for review.
Try this: Have students highlight all long vowel words in yellow and blends in blue within a reading passage.
3. Image Text Read Aloud & Select Area to Read
- Mote can read non-editable text from scanned worksheets, PDFs, or image-based materials.
- Offers text-to-speech with visual tracking for full multisensory engagement.
- Crucial for students needing accommodations for print access.
Try this: Use Select-to-Read on phonics charts or graphic organizers when digital access is limited.
4. Student Voice Recording
- Students can independently record decoding practice, blending, or reading aloud.
- Recordings offer authentic assessment data and allow for targeted remediation.
🔁 Best Practice Routine: Combine Mote Features
Here’s how to structure a multisensory, OG-aligned digital routine:
- Assign a passage → Students highlight target patterns (Highlighter).
- Listen with Read Aloud → Reinforces print-sound connection.
- Record reading → Practice fluency and self-monitoring.
- Use Select-to-Read → For inaccessible scanned texts or image-based activities.
📝 Final Thoughts
The Orton-Gillingham Approach is all about empowering struggling readers through structured, multisensory, and individualized instruction. Tools like Mote not only support these principles—they help teachers extend them into digital learning environments.
Whether you're a reading interventionist, special education teacher, or general classroom educator, Mote can help you bring OG to life in ways that are engaging, efficient, and deeply supportive.