The Orton-Gillingham approach is a methodology used to deliver a structured literacy program based on the science of reading. It is an approach to explicitly teaching language skills that follows the nine principles of Orton-Gillingham:
Diagnostic & Prescriptive
Individualized
Language-based & Alphabetic/Phonetic
Simultaneous Multisensory and Multimodal
Direct & Explicit Instruction
Structured, Sequential, and Cumulative, but Flexible
Synthetic & Analytic
Cognitive
Emotionally Sound
This approach is critical for teaching reading and spelling to all Tier 1, 2, and 3 students.
Vanessa Silver, M.S., BCET/AET, Fellow/OGA, C-SLDS/IDA, has worked in education for over 25 years. Based in Los Angeles, she runs a private practice as a Board Certified Educational Therapist (BCET) through the Association of Educational Therapists (AET). She has served as a Resource Specialist with Los Angeles USD and holds credentials in both General and Special Education.
A Fellow of the Orton-Gillingham Academy (OGA) and a Certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist (C-SLDS) through the International Dyslexia Association (IDA). Vanessa trains and mentors educators, tutors, and parents in Structured Literacy and the science of reading, and guides candidates through the OGA certification process. She also serves as a National Professional Learning Facilitator with LETRS.
Vanessa has taught graduate-level courses on Structured Literacy and the Orton-Gillingham Approach at a university on the East Coast and has supervised interns in a Master’s Educational Therapy program. She regularly presents workshops for schools, districts, and conferences and currently serves on the Board of the IDA Los Angeles branch.
These certifications reflect Vanessa’s deep commitment to supporting children with academic challenges, dyslexia, and other language-based learning differences. Her specialized training allows her to deliver targeted, effective interventions that help students thrive. Click on the links above to find out more.
