For children who have difficulty learning to read, getting the right fit may make all the difference. Orton-Gillingham and the Wilson Reading System are unique because they were specifically designed for learners who do not pick up the skills of reading through traditional instruction. Neither of these is a quick fix nor one of those trend-based programs. They are steeped in decades of research and practical experience with children who have real, persistent reading difficulties.
Unique to Orton-Gillingham is that it is a highly structured and systematic approach. It doesn't assume that children will intuitively understand the way that sounds and letters cooperate; rather, it clearly and explicitly teaches the relationships to students. Lessons follow a logical sequence, starting with the most basic building blocks of reading and gradually moving toward more complex patterns. Nothing is left to chance. Each concept is taught, practiced, and reviewed until it is truly understood.
Another defining characteristic of Orton-Gillingham is the multisensory approach to teaching. Children see, hear, say, and manipulate letters and words during lessons.
For instance, they can say the noise aloud and simultaneously write the correct corresponding word. This approach can help to improve memory by stimulating different areas of the brain at once. For students with dyslexia and other language-based learning difficulties, this approach may be essential to their future progress.
The Wilson Reading System, besides adopting and expanding on all the key principles in Orton-Gillingham, also presents a clearly structured and step-by-step approach to learning. What gives Wilson its distinguishing mark, however, is not only its consistency but also its depth. What this means in a practical sense is that no matter the lesson, one can be certain one will not ask the student to apply anything he has not already been taught.
Another feature Wilson emphasizes is decoding and then encoding, meaning that students not only learn to read but also spell at the same time. This way, there is integration in their knowledge, and a child will start to understand how words are constructed and not simply how to spell them. This will gradually lead to reading accuracy and understanding.
Both Orton-Gillingham and Wilson are designed to be flexible and responsive to the learner. Instruction is adjusted based on how the student is progressing, not on a rigid timetable. If a child needs more time with a particular skill, the tutor slows down. If a concept is mastered quickly, instruction moves forward. This individualized pacing respects the learner and builds trust.
What really separates these methods, however, is the difference they make in confidence. So many students who begin orton gillingham vs wilson instruction have experienced failure with reading repeatedly. As skills start to click, frustration gives way to pride. Reading is no longer something that makes them nervous; it is something they believe they can do. That feeling of possibility is what makes both Orton-Gillingham and the Wilson Reading System so singular and powerful.
