Orton-Gillingham Academy Professional Development

The Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators provides professional development and certification for educators seeking expertise in the Orton-Gillingham Approach — a direct, explicit, multisensory, structured, sequential, diagnostic, and prescriptive method of teaching literacy that has been the gold standard for supporting students with dyslexia and other reading difficulties since the 1930s. Developed from the foundational work of neuropsychiatrist Dr Samuel T. Orton and educator Anna Gillingham, the approach teaches reading, writing, and spelling through systematic instruction that engages visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic pathways simultaneously. The Academy, established in 1995 in Amenia, New York, serves as the credentialing body that certifies individual practitioners and accredits training programmes that meet instructional standards consistent with the Orton-Gillingham methodology. Their professional development pathways range from foundational classroom teacher training through to advanced specialist certification, with supervised practicum experiences that ensure educators can apply the approach effectively with students who struggle with literacy acquisition. For schools implementing structured literacy programmes, Science of Reading initiatives, or dyslexia intervention frameworks, the Academy's certification represents a recognised benchmark of practitioner quality. The Orton-Gillingham Approach aligns closely with current Science of Reading research and structured literacy principles endorsed by the International Dyslexia Association.