Students with dyslexia, phonological processing difficulties, or those who haven't responded well to traditional classroom reading instruction typically see the greatest gains with Orton Gillingham. However, any student who struggles with decoding, spelling, or reading fluency can benefit from this structured approach. For students in Provo with an average student-teacher ratio of 19.6:1, personalized 1-on-1 Orton Gillingham instruction provides the individualized attention and pacing that classroom settings often cannot offer.

Your first session focuses on assessment and building rapport. A tutor will evaluate your child's current reading level, identify specific challenges with phonics or decoding, and understand their learning style. They'll explain how Orton Gillingham works and discuss goals for the tutoring relationship. This foundation ensures that subsequent sessions are tailored to your child's needs rather than following a one-size-fits-all curriculum.

While many Provo schools incorporate phonics-based reading, Orton Gillingham tutoring provides intensive, one-on-one instruction with explicit focus on multisensory techniques and individualized pacing. In a classroom setting, teachers must balance the needs of many students; a tutor can slow down on concepts your child finds challenging, repeat lessons as needed, and adjust the sequence based on mastery. This personalized approach is especially valuable for students who need more time or a different entry point to understand letter-sound relationships and word structure.

Many students show noticeable improvements in decoding and confidence within 8-12 weeks of consistent tutoring, though the timeline depends on the severity of reading difficulties and frequency of sessions. Foundational skills like letter-sound mastery may develop faster, while fluency and comprehension improvements often take longer. Regular, frequent sessions (typically 2-3 per week) combined with practice between sessions accelerate progress and help solidify new skills through spaced repetition.

Effective Orton Gillingham tutors should have specialized training in the method—ideally certification from an Orton Gillingham organization or equivalent professional development—plus experience working with struggling readers or students with dyslexia. They should understand phonology, morphology, and the structure of English language, and be skilled at adapting the approach to individual learning styles. When you connect with tutors through Varsity Tutors, you can discuss their specific credentials and experience to ensure the right fit for your child's needs.

Progress is tracked through regular assessment of specific skills: phoneme awareness, letter-sound automaticity, decoding accuracy, spelling patterns, and reading fluency. Tutors typically use informal assessments and observations during lessons, and may administer standardized reading assessments periodically to measure growth. You'll see concrete evidence through your child's ability to decode new words independently, improved spelling, and increased reading confidence—all measurable outcomes that indicate the approach is working.

Start by connecting with Varsity Tutors to describe your child's reading challenges and goals. You'll be matched with a tutor who has Orton Gillingham expertise and experience working with students at your child's level. After your first session, you and the tutor can establish a regular schedule and discuss what practice looks like at home. Most families find that consistent weekly or twice-weekly sessions, paired with short practice activities between lessons, create the momentum needed for meaningful progress.