'The Orton-Gillingham approach encompasses the same components as the Science of Reading, which emphasizes phonemic awareness as the key factor in successful reading comprehension.'
Learning to read can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to teaching children who need special help with phonics, spelling, and reading. Fortunately, there is an approach that offers incredibly effective results for both teachers and students alike. This method is called the Orton-Gillingham approach, and it utilizes (among other things) decodable readers to make learning easier and more engaging. Let’s take a look at what this approach entails and how it can benefit your student or child’s education.
The Science of Reading
The Orton-Gillingham approach encompasses the same components as the Science of Reading, which emphasizes phonemic awareness as the key factor in successful reading comprehension. Phonemic awareness allows learners to recognize individual sounds (phonemes) within spoken words. This is an important skill for early readers because it allows them to break down longer words into smaller sound pieces that are easier to decode.
Decodable Readers
One way teachers can use this phonemic awareness in their lesson planning is through decodable readers. Decodable readers are books designed explicitly with short stories featuring only those sounds that have already been taught in class. This helps individuals practice their newly acquired skills while still following along with a storyline they can understand. It also prevents confusion since the stories only contain words that are already familiar to them at their current level of reading proficiency.
Benefits of Decodable Digraph Readers
Using decodable readers provides many benefits for both teachers and students alike. For teachers, these books provide an easy way to plan lessons quickly without having to spend time searching for appropriate content or writing out stories from scratch. For students, they provide engaging content they will enjoy while still allowing them to practice their newfound skills in a meaningful way that reinforces learning outcomes in a fun and interesting way. Additionally, since these books are written at various difficulty levels, you can always find something suited to each student's needs no matter where they are on their reading journey!
Decodable readers are especially powerful because they help to build confidence. If students are met with material that they can confidently decode, it will build their confidence and they will start to view themselves as readers.
The Orton-Gillingham approach paired with decodable readers provides an incredibly effective way for both teachers and students alike to learn the fundamentals of reading comprehension while still keeping things fun and interesting through short stories specifically tailored for each learner's needs! Whether you're a teacher looking for easy lesson planning or a parent helping your child master phonics and spelling, these tools can be invaluable assets in helping your student reach their potential! With these resources available, learning doesn't have to be boring anymore--it can be interactive, entertaining, and most importantly successful!
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