The Reading Approach

As children, we learn the oral form of language. At about age 5 or 6, we are expected to learn the written form of our language. The written form is made up of symbols. These symbols have sounds and they follow rules. The sounds and rules must be taught so the English language can be properly decoded (read) and encoded (written).

Unfortunately, many regular and special education teachers are not familiar with this type of approach and do not teach their students the basic structure of our written language. We wouldn’t expect to learn the written form of a foreign language without learning the rules of that language. So why should learning to read and write English be any different?

A Proven System

Why do we expect students to learn to read and write without providing them with a set of rules to follow? Northwoods Reading Advantage specializes in scientifically-based reading instruction based on the Orton-Gillingham approach. This is a systematic, explicit, and sequential approach based on sound neurological theory originating in the 1930’s by Dr. Samuel Orton and continued by Anne Gillingham.

Fast forward to today, and we now know that current brain research has validated Dr. Orton's neurological theories.

This approach has been time tested over the past 70 years. In addition, current brain-based research has shown that with proper reading instruction, individuals with reading difficulties are able to improve. Through an individualized, systematic, explicit, and sequential intervention, these students are able to improve in oral and silent reading, spelling, and written language skills.