• How to Vet an Orton-Gillingham Tutor

Orton-Gillingham is the structured literacy approach widely used for dyslexia and reading intervention. Here's what to ask a prospective tutor to gauge their actual training and competence in it.

  • Examples include Wilson, OGOA, Stephen Gaynor, Barton, IMSE, and Slingerland. Ask whether it was a full comprehensive OG program or a shorter "OG-influenced" workshop — the difference in depth is significant.

  • Ask about experience with your child's specific age and needs, such as dyslexia or ADHD.

  • A tutor with real OG training should be able to describe a clear, structured lesson format without hesitation.

  • This should cover phonemic awareness, decoding, encoding, and fluency.

  • Ask for details and how they decide when a student is ready to move to the next step.

  • Answers should include multisensory instruction, diagnostic/prescriptive teaching, and cumulative, sequential structure.

  • A qualified tutor should have a concrete method for measuring growth and adapting instruction accordingly.

  • Ask to be put in touch with other families or referring professionals, such as tutors, psychologists, or learning specialists.

The Tell

If someone claims to be "trained in OG" but can't name a specific program or certification level, or describes a generic phonics approach without diagnostic/prescriptive and multisensory components, they likely had minimal exposure rather than genuine OG training.