While many of Raleigh's 136 schools focus on balanced literacy approaches, not all classrooms use Orton Gillingham instruction. Personalized 1-on-1 tutoring using the Orton Gillingham method can fill gaps by providing intensive, individualized practice that addresses each student's specific reading challenges—something difficult to achieve in a classroom with a 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio. Tutors can move at your student's pace, reinforce what's being taught in school, and target areas where they need the most support.

Students with dyslexia, reading delays, or difficulty with phonics and decoding are ideal candidates for Orton Gillingham instruction. It also helps students who haven't responded well to other reading programs, struggle with spelling and word recognition, or need explicit instruction in sound-symbol relationships. Even advanced readers can benefit from the method's structured approach to tackling more complex texts and building reading confidence.

During an initial session, a tutor will assess your student's current reading level, identify specific challenges with phonics and decoding, and understand their learning style. This foundation helps the tutor create a personalized lesson plan aligned with Orton Gillingham principles. You'll leave with a clear picture of where your student stands and what to expect in upcoming lessons.

Many students show noticeable progress in phonemic awareness, letter-sound recognition, and decoding within 4-6 weeks of consistent tutoring. More significant improvements in fluency and comprehension typically emerge over 2-3 months of regular instruction. Progress varies based on the severity of reading challenges, frequency of sessions, and how much practice happens outside tutoring, but the structured, systematic nature of Orton Gillingham often produces measurable gains faster than less targeted approaches.

Orton Gillingham tutoring is highly structured and sequential, moving step-by-step through phonetic concepts in a specific order, whereas classroom reading instruction often uses mixed approaches. Personalized 1-on-1 instruction allows tutors to spend as much time as needed on each concept, adjust pacing to your student's needs, and provide intensive practice without the constraints of teaching 20+ students at once. This individualized focus is especially powerful for students who need explicit, multisensory instruction to master reading skills.

Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who specialize in Orton Gillingham instruction and understand how to apply the method effectively with students of different ages and reading levels. When you reach out, you can specify that you're looking for Orton Gillingham expertise, and we'll match you with a tutor whose qualifications and experience align with your student's needs. Our tutors are familiar with North Carolina's curriculum standards and can integrate Orton Gillingham principles with what your student is learning in school.

Yes—Orton Gillingham is designed to strengthen both reading and spelling because they're taught together using the same systematic, phonetic approach. As students learn letter-sound relationships and phonetic patterns, they apply that knowledge to spell words correctly. Many students who struggle with spelling find significant improvement through Orton Gillingham tutoring because they're learning the underlying rules and patterns, not just memorizing word lists.