Why take Orton Gillingham Associate Level Training at NW Dyslexia Resources?

Orton Gillingham Training at NWDR is an engaging combination of theory and practice that enables trainees to successfully teach reading to even the most impacted students.

NW Dyslexia Resources’ courses are taught by an Accredited Training Fellow of the Orton Gillingham Academy (Cathy Wyrick M.S.), and follow OGA Principles, Science of Reading precepts and the Knowledge and Practice Standards of the International Dyslexia Association. Oregon State Certification for Dyslexia Providers is pending. Upon course completion the trainee may apply to the Academy at the Associate Level.

The Associate level course is designed for teachers in general and special education and reading specialists. The focus is on how to teach students who struggle with literacy (including students with dyslexia - formally identified or not) in a small group or individual setting.

The Associate OG course comprises a total of 66 hours of class time and a school-year practicum.

Classes are in-person: trainees benefit from immediate personal interactions with instructors and the group. The class hours are divided into two blocks: a five-day class in June and a series of 6 Saturday classes spread over the school year.  Spreading out the class hours allows trainees to take in the large amount of required information at a reasonable pace and coordinates with the practicum.

·        The first class block covers basic OG multisensory lesson planning and procedures, the phonograms and sounds of English, a variety of basic syllable types, the rationale behind the OG sequence, fundamentals of Science of Reading instruction, definitions/identification of students with dyslexia, brain research related to dyslexia, and some legal issues. Readings spark lively discussions and daily partner practice helps trainees get comfortable with lesson planning and procedures.

·        The school year series of classes bring theory and practice together as trainees bring their experiences with practicum students to the group. The trainees learn how to analyze testing errors and write goals for their practicum students. We work though the advanced phonics concepts and rules such as ways to divide multi-syllable words for reading and spelling, issues with fluency, vocabulary, and cognitive testing and working with older students.  

·        The practicum features 10 consultations that personally support each trainee.

A user-friendly manual, Sounds to Words, provides explicit support for learning the OG approach.  It:

·        is organized around model lessons in a structured format (to insure fidelity to OG lesson structure)

·        has many example words for the teacher to choose from to individualize lessons

·        has enough practice for even the slowest moving student, (the pace can be varied as needed).

·        follows an Orton Gillingham sequence.

A book of decodable text, Words You Can Read Now, provides practice readings to match lessons.

We also use practice materials and articles from research-based sources. We help trainees find ways to incorporate the principles and practices from this course into their teaching with the materials they have.

The Primary Instructor is Cathy Wyrick M.S. (Special Education), Accredited Training Fellow OGA.

She was trained by Dorothy Blosser Whitehead M.S. a Founding Fellow of the OGA, and was co-founder of the Blosser Center for Dyslexia Resources.  She has trained hundreds of teachers/tutors for over 30 + years.

The Assistant Instructors are Associate members of the OGA and longtime reading intervention teachers.

 Questions?  Email us at nwdyslexiaresources@gmail.com.

  “Best reading program I have ever taken.”   

“I have become a better teacher because of this course.”