Watching your child struggle to read, lose confidence, or fall behind classmates can be heartbreaking. When effort does not translate into progress, many parents feel helpless and unsure where to turn.

In Australia, dyslexia affects around one in ten people, meaning these challenges are far more common than many realize. If this feels familiar, you are not alone.

This guide explains dyslexia reading programs by Orton-Gillingham, how they work, and how to choose the right support to build skills, confidence, and long-term learning success.

Here's the short version:

• Dyslexia requires specialized instruction. Structured, multisensory teaching supports how dyslexic children naturally process language and learn to read.

• Orton-Gillingham delivers proven outcomes. Its systematic, personalized approach improves decoding, fluency, spelling, comprehension, and learning confidence.

• Early intervention prevents long-term struggle. Timely support reduces frustration, anxiety, and academic gaps while strengthening reading foundations.

• Program quality shapes success. Small groups, trained educators, multisensory methods, and emotional support drive consistent progress.

• Thoughtful learning design improves engagement. Structured teaching, live interaction, and personalized feedback together create stronger literacy outcomes.

What Is Dyslexia? A Simple Explanation for Parents

Dyslexia is a neurological learning difference that affects how the brain processes written language, particularly reading, spelling, and decoding. It is not linked to intelligence, effort, or motivation, and many dyslexic children are highly creative, verbal, and capable learners.

According to the Dyslexia SPELD Foundation Australia, it primarily impacts phonological processing, working memory, and processing speed.

Common signs of dyslexia in children include:

• Difficulty Recognizing Letter Sounds: Struggles to connect sounds with letters or blends.

• Slow Or Inaccurate Reading: Reads hesitantly, guesses words, or skips lines.

• Spelling Challenges: Persistent spelling errors, even after repeated practice.

• Poor Phonemic Awareness: Trouble breaking words into sounds or blending sounds together.

• Avoidance of Reading: Becomes frustrated, anxious, or resistant when asked to read.

• Low Learning Confidence: Feels discouraged despite strong effort and motivation.

Without specialized teaching strategies, these challenges can intensify over time. This is why many dyslexic children struggle within traditional classroom and tutoring models.

In the next section, we look at why standard reading programs often fail to meet the needs of dyslexic learners.

Suggested Read: Multisensory Reading Programs for Dyslexia and Struggling Readers

Challenges of Standard Reading Programs for Dyslexic Learners

Many standard reading programs are designed for typical learning patterns, not for how dyslexic brains process language. As a result, children often work harder without seeing progress, which can slowly erode confidence and motivation.

Common challenges include:

• One-Size-Fits-All Lessons: Teaching moves at a fixed pace, leaving little room to adapt to individual processing needs. This can cause children to fall behind quickly.

• Limited Multisensory Input: Lessons rely heavily on visual and verbal instruction. Dyslexic learners benefit more from touch, movement, and sound combined.

• Fast Progression: New concepts are introduced before earlier skills are fully mastered. This can create confusion and gaps in understanding.

• Minimal Repetition: Skills are not practiced often enough for long-term retention. Dyslexic learners typically need more structured reinforcement.

• Rising Emotional Stress: Repeated struggles can lead to frustration, anxiety, and avoidance. Over time, this may affect self-esteem and learning confidence.

When reading instruction is not aligned with how dyslexic children learn, progress often remains slow and inconsistent. This is where structured, evidence-based approaches such as the Orton-Gillingham Method become essential.

Suggested Read: Effective Reading Programs for Children with Autism

What Is the Orton-Gillingham Method?

The Orton-Gillingham Method is a structured, evidence-based approach to reading instruction developed in the 1930s by Dr Samuel Orton, a neuropsychiatrist, and educator Anna Gillingham.

It was specifically designed to support children with dyslexia by teaching reading in a way that matches how their brains process language. Key components include:

Give your child gentle, personalized support for reading success.

Join a Free Trial Class

1. Structured And Sequential Learning

Instruction follows a carefully planned sequence, moving from simple concepts to more complex skills. Each step builds logically on previous learning to ensure mastery before progression.

This structure includes:

• Systematic Phonics Instruction: Teaching sound–letter relationships in a clear, predictable order.

• Cumulative Skill Development: Revisiting and reinforcing earlier concepts regularly.

• Clear Learning Pathways: Reducing confusion and cognitive overload.

2. Multisensory Teaching Approach

Children learn using sight, sound, touch, and movement together. This strengthens memory, understanding, and skill retention.

This approach involves:

• Visual Learning: Seeing letters, words, and patterns.

• Auditory Processing: Hearing sounds, blending, and pronunciation.

• Tactile And Kinesthetic Activities: Writing, tracing, and movement-based exercises.

3. Individualized Instruction

Lessons are tailored to each child’s pace, strengths, and learning profile. This ensures teaching adapts to the learner, not the other way around.

Key elements include:

• Personalized Lesson Planning: Based on assessment and observation.

• Flexible Teaching Strategies: Adjusted as progress develops.

• Targeted Skill Support: Focused attention on areas of difficulty.

4. Diagnostic And Responsive Teaching

Ongoing assessment guides instruction at every stage. Teaching decisions are shaped by how each child responds to learning.

This includes:

• Continuous Progress Monitoring: Tracking improvement and challenges.

• Immediate Instructional Adjustment: Refining lessons based on performance.

• Focused Skill Reinforcement: Strengthening weaker areas promptly.

5. Language-Based Instruction

Teaching focuses on the structure of language, including sounds, syllables, word patterns, and sentence construction. This helps children understand how language works, not just memorise rules.

This includes:

• Phonology Awareness: Understanding how sounds form words.

• Morphology Development: Learning prefixes, suffixes, and word roots.

• Syntax Understanding: Recognizing sentence structure and grammar patterns.

For parents, the real question is how this method actually helps children read, learn, and regain confidence. This is covered in the next section.

How Does the Orton-Gillingham Method Help Dyslexic Learners?

The Orton-Gillingham Method is designed to address the specific challenges dyslexic children face when learning to read. It creates measurable improvements in both academic progress and emotional confidence.

These are a few ways it helps:

1. Strengthens Phonemic Awareness

These strategies help children understand how sounds work within words:

• Sound Segmentation: Breaking words into smaller sound units.

• Sound Blending: Combining sounds to form complete words.

• Pattern Recognition: Identifying common sound and spelling patterns.

This foundation supports accurate decoding and smoother reading development.

2. Improves Decoding And Word Recognition

These techniques focus on turning written symbols into meaningful language:

• Systematic Phonics Instruction: Teaching sound–letter relationships in a structured sequence.

• Repeated Reinforcement: Strengthening retention through consistent practice.

• Cumulative Skill Building: Connecting new learning to previous knowledge.

This leads to more accurate and confident reading.

3. Builds Reading Fluency

These activities help children read more smoothly and naturally:

• Guided Repeated Reading: Increasing speed and accuracy through practice.

• Controlled Text Progression: Introducing complexity gradually.

• Rhythm And Pacing Exercises: Supporting natural reading flow.

As fluency improves, comprehension and enjoyment also increase.

4. Enhances Spelling And Writing Accuracy

These approaches strengthen how children understand word structure:

• Multisensory Spelling Practice: Writing, tracing, and speaking words.

• Word Pattern Instruction: Teaching common spelling rules and structures.

• Error Analysis: Using mistakes as learning opportunities.

This supports long-term improvement in written communication.

5. Restores Learning Confidence

These methods rebuild self-belief and emotional resilience:

• Success-Oriented Progression: Ensuring children experience consistent achievement.

• Supportive Feedback: Reinforcing effort and improvement.

• Safe Learning Environment: Reducing fear and performance anxiety.

When children receive the right support early, these improvements accelerate. This highlights the importance of timely, targeted intervention in dyslexic learning journeys.

Suggested Read: Proven Tips to Improve Children's Reading Comprehension at Home

Benefits of Early Intervention in Dyslexic Learners

Early support plays a critical role in shaping how children with dyslexia experience learning. When intervention begins early, children build essential reading foundations before frustration, anxiety, and low confidence take hold.

Table showing the impact of early intervention on dyslexic learning outcomes:

Starting early helps children feel supported rather than overwhelmed. It also allows skills to develop naturally, creating positive learning habits that extend well beyond reading.

Tips for introducing your child to a dyslexia reading program:

• Begin Gently: Start with short sessions to build comfort and trust.

• Celebrate Small Wins: Acknowledge effort and progress to boost confidence.

• Stay Patient: Progress may be gradual, but consistency brings lasting results.

• Maintain Routine: Regular practice helps reinforce learning patterns.

• Encourage Open Communication: Let your child express feelings about learning.

When early intervention is paired with the right teaching approach, progress becomes both meaningful and sustainable. This makes choosing the right program features especially important.

What to Look for in Dyslexia Reading Programs

Choosing the right dyslexia reading program can feel overwhelming, especially when you want to give your child the best possible support. Focusing on a few essential features can help you identify programs that genuinely improve reading skills.

Key features to look for are:

• Structured Literacy Approach

  You should look for programs that follow a clear, step-by-step sequence. This ensures your child builds strong foundations before moving on to more complex reading skills.

• Multisensory Teaching Methods

  Effective programs engage sight, sound, touch, and movement together. This helps your child process language more easily and retain learning for longer.

• Individualized Instruction

  Every dyslexic learner progresses differently, so teaching should adapt to your child’s pace and needs. Personalized lessons prevent frustration and support steady progress.

• Ongoing Assessment and Feedback

  Regular monitoring helps track progress and identify learning gaps early. This allows teaching strategies to adjust quickly and remain effective.

• Small Group or One-to-One Support

  Smaller learning environments provide greater attention and emotional reassurance. This helps your child feel safe, supported, and confident to participate.

• Emotionally Supportive Teaching

  Dyslexic learners benefit from patient, encouraging educators. A nurturing approach helps rebuild confidence and motivation alongside academic growth.

When these features come together, learning becomes both effective and emotionally safe. This is exactly the environment FunFox is designed to provide.

Suggested Read: Best ADHD Games for Kids: Fun Ways to Boost Focus

Give your child early, confidence-building reading support with FunFox.

Sign Up Today

How Does FunFox Support Dyslexic Learners?

FunFox is an online learning platform focused on nurturing confident readers, expressive writers, and curious thinkers through small-group, teacher-led instruction.

Our Readers Club strengthens foundational reading skills such as decoding, fluency, and comprehension, while the Writers Club builds storytelling ability, written expression, and communication confidence.

Our programs support balanced language development, helping children who find reading and writing challenging to progress steadily, feel understood, and regain confidence in their learning journey.

Why parents choose FunFox:

• Small Group Classes: Limited class sizes ensure your child receives individual attention, consistent encouragement, and tailored instruction. This prevents children from feeling overlooked or overwhelmed.

• Structured Literacy Foundations: Lessons follow clear, step-by-step teaching methods that support decoding, fluency, comprehension, and spelling. This helps your child build skills gradually and securely.

• Multisensory Teaching Techniques: Learning combines visual, auditory, and interactive activities to strengthen memory and understanding. This approach supports how dyslexic brains naturally process language.

• Patient, Trained Educators: Teachers understand dyslexia and provide calm, supportive guidance. This creates a safe environment where mistakes are treated as learning opportunities.

• Confidence-First Learning: Emotional well-being is prioritised alongside academic progress. Your child learns without fear, pressure, or performance anxiety.

With over 5,000 families across Australia and worldwide trusting us, we take pride in delivering a nurturing, personalized approach to learning.

By drawing on structured literacy principles inspired by the Orton-Gillingham Method, we create supportive environments where children gradually build skills, regain confidence, and rediscover the joy of reading and writing.

Conclusion

The Orton-Gillingham Method offers a structured, multisensory approach that supports how dyslexic children naturally learn. When introduced early, it builds strong reading foundations and prevents frustration, anxiety, and loss of confidence. Early support allows children to progress steadily and develop positive learning habits.

At FunFox, we apply these principles through small-group, teacher-led learning in our Readers Club and Writers Club. Live classes, personalized feedback, and confidence-first teaching help children feel safe, supported, and capable as they grow.

Support your child with patient, personalized reading guidance. Try the first class for free.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What programs use the Orton-Gillingham approach?

Many structured literacy programs apply Orton-Gillingham principles, including specialist dyslexia interventions, school-based support programs, and online platforms that combine multisensory teaching, personalized pacing, and systematic phonics instruction.

2. What is the best reading program for dyslexics?

The best programs combine structured literacy, multisensory learning, individualized teaching, emotional support, and small-group instruction to help dyslexic learners build reading skills, confidence, and long-term learning success.

3. Is Wilson or Orton-Gillingham better?

Wilson is based on Orton-Gillingham principles but follows a more standardised structure. Orton-Gillingham offers greater flexibility, allowing educators to tailor instruction to each child’s individual learning needs.

4. Can online dyslexia reading programs be effective?

Yes, when delivered live in small groups with trained educators, interactive tools, and personalized instruction, online programs can effectively support reading development, confidence, and engagement for dyslexic learners.

5. How long does the Orton-Gillingham intervention take to show results?

Progress varies by child, but many learners show early improvements within weeks. Consistent sessions over several months typically lead to stronger decoding, fluency, confidence, and sustained reading progress.