Leveled Literacy vs. Orton Gillingham

“My child's teacher said they are reading at a level…. 

[insert letter of the alphabet].” 

I hear this comment a lot, and today feels like an invitation to share more about the (significant) difference between 2 very distinct methods of teaching reading. 

One, identifies children's skills and reading level by a letter of the alphabet. 

This feels confusing to me….

(Leveled Literacy)

The other gives children a sequence of instruction based on phonetic pattern that moves from least complicated to most complicated and least complex to most complex. 

This makes a lot of sense to me!

(Orton Gillingham)

Did you know?….

About 35% of children will learn to read no matter what curriculum they are instructed by. 

However, if 65%+ of children struggle learning to read….it would JUST. MAKE. SENSE. that more often instruction would be based on structured literacy instruction as that casts a wider net to catch all readers, instead of curriculum that is only designed to support the 35% of children who will learn to read no matter what! 

Ok - so to distinguish the two….keep reading!

Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) uses a Balanced Literacy approach focused on leveled books (such as ones based on a letter) for practice. 

Differently, (and I believe more effectively) Orton-Gillingham (OG) is a Structured Literacy method for direct, multi-sensory instruction on foundational reading skills. 

Unlike OG's systematic, diagnostic approach, LLI relies on context cues and offers less explicit phonics instruction, which can be ineffective for struggling readers and students with dyslexia. 

Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI)

Philosophy:

LLI is a reading intervention that stemmed from the Balanced Literacy philosophy, which emphasizes shared reading with leveled books and encourages students to use cueing systems (like context clues and pictures clues) to guess the words on the page. 

Instructional Method:

Teachers use leveled books (labeled by letters) to guide shared, guided, and independent reading, with an emphasis on improving comprehension and general reading achievement.

Effectiveness:

Some studies show positive effects on general reading achievement but no significant impact on alphabetics (decoding skills). It can be less effective for students who struggle with word recognition. 

Orton-Gillingham (OG)

Philosophy:

OG is a foundational approach to Structured Literacy, designed for students who are at risk for or have word-level reading disabilities like dyslexia. It is a philosophy of teaching based on the Science of Reading.

Instructional Method:

OG provides explicit, systematic, and multi-sensory instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, and other language structures. It uses visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile modalities to build neurological connections in the brain.

(This is what we do at Next Step!)

Key Characteristics:

• Sequential: Moves from simple concepts to complex ones.

• Cumulative: Builds new skills on previously mastered ones.

• Repetitive: Reinforces skills through repetition.

• Diagnostic & Prescriptive: Identifies and corrects errors through ongoing assessment, ensuring mastery before moving on.

Effectiveness:

OG is considered an evidence-based Structured Literacy approach that supports reading and spelling. Research indicates its effectiveness when implemented with fidelity. 

At Next Step Education, I believe in providing children instruction that is systematic, rooted in the Science of Reading and designed to effectively teach struggling readers….to read! 

In my Private Reading Program, this is exactly what I do! 

This program is open to children in grades K, 1 and 2. We meet 2x/week for 3 months in a 1:1 in person setting. And the results - are like magic! (But - it's science. The Science of Reading!)