Orton-Gillingham Associate Training

Horizon Academy’s Fellow-in-Training, Gabi Guillory-Welsh will lead this training under the supervision of Janet George, M.S. M.ED, an Accredited Training Fellow of the Orton-Gillingham Academy. This in-depth training advances the understanding of specific procedures of the O-G Approach and the underlying principles in teaching reading, spelling, and phonological awareness. Tutors and interventionists learn the principles of teaching students diagnosed with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities to unlock the code of the English language. This course is intended for reading specialists, reading interventionists, and special educators. While classroom teachers will benefit from the content taught in this course, the practicum requires the instructor to work with an individual at least twice a week for a minimum of 45 minutes on non-consecutive days.

The class addresses:

• Dyslexia – what it is, how it impacts students, and how/why students with dyslexia struggle in school
• Planning and delivering  1:1 intensive literacy intervention for a dyslexic student 
• Analyzing a student’s background and diagnosis
• Diagnostic and prescriptive teaching for one-on-one instruction
• The brain as it pertains to reading
• The five pillars of reading as determined by the National Reading Panel and how to incorporate them into lessons for students with dyslexia
• The principles of the Orton-Gillingham Approach

O-G Associate (A/OGA) Practicum

The Associate practicum provides guidance during the practical application of the coursework. In order to become an Associate Member of the Orton-Gillingham Academy (OGA), the Academy requires a minimum of 100 hours of supervised one-on-one instruction using the O-G Approach over the course of a minimum of 8 months (one school year). During the practicum, ten observations are completed by a Fellow and/or Fellow-in-Training, and applicants are assigned readings to complete and summarize. Applicants are also required to complete two written assignments under the guidance of their Fellow: an annotated lesson and a student profile,as this level of training deepens the practitioner’s ability to understand a student’s learning profile and unique learning needs.

The practicum following training includes:

• A minimum of ten video observations of a 1:1 lesson with a student and virtual feedback meetings with the Fellow or FIT
• Writing a student profile on the student selected for practicum work
• Writing an annotated lesson that demonstrates the principles of the O-G Approach
• Readings assigned by the Fellow

Course Prerequisites:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• Completion of the OG Subscriber Course, a 6-10 hr course that can be must be taken online prior to summer training
  • Proof of completion must be sent to gguillory@horizon-academy.com by no later than June 6, 2025