Why Direct And Explicit Multisensory Reading Instruction For Older Struggling Readers?

Here Are 5 Reasons.

• When taught one-on-one, this systematic reading builds confident readers. The programming progresses in an emotionally sound way, giving students just the right amount of support and never asking them to do something that they haven’t been taught. Kids are motivated by their success and they have an opportunity to build a strong relationship with their instructor. Many kids begin small group reading instruction when they are older, feeling defeated by the task of reading, and often experiencing embarrassment or humiliation. A small group, or 1:1, allows students to build trust with their instructor. Often the first sign parents notice is how much more confident and comfortable their reader appears to be.
• This is a great opportunity to give students a systematic, structured approach to reading. It is tailored to their needs as a student with needs, such as dyslexia. Beyond that, it meets the needs of the individual learner. Perhaps most importantly, science supports the approach and methodology.
• It is possible to make huge gains with multisensory strategies, repetition and the amount of overlearning involved to strengthen efficient neural pathways. One of my favorite things as students reach late elementary or middle school age is how metacognitive they become. Students understand how multisensory activities strengthen neural pathways.
• You can be flexible in your lesson planning to make lessons more individualized. Whether you incorporate a student’s favorite characters into sentence dictation or vary the pace at which you introduce new concepts.  It’s all about the right steps at the right time. 

• Too often in the classroom, instruction moves on just as the struggling student is beginning to make some progress. The longer a reader struggles, the bigger the distance between the skills the student needs to master, and those skills being taught in the classroom. In small groups or 1:1, using this specific method that is based on Orton Gillingham, we teach to mastery and constantly review.  Classroom teachers rarely have time to teach to the point of mastery.  This is particularly true for students who need more time. Review is a crucial part of Orton Gillingham's instruction. Games and activities make reviewing and reaching a state of mastery fun and engaging.