The instructional strategies that are the foundation for The Swift School’s reading instruction were first researched and developed by Samuel T. Orton and Anna Gillingham in the 1930's. These strategies, now known as the Orton-Gillingham Approach have been used successfully with dyslexic children for nearly 75 years. The Orton-Gillingham approach is a phonetic, systematic, and sequential approach to reading instruction and involves multi-sensory techniques.

• Language based. The Orton-Gillingham approach is based on a technique of studying and teaching language by understanding the nature of human language, the mechanisms involved in learning, and the language-learning processes in individuals.
  
  
• Multi-sensory. Teaching sessions focus on the continuous interaction between what the student sees, hears, and feels through speech and writing in order to teach reading and spelling. Students use several senses at the same time during instruction and, therefore, are better able to store language information in their brains. Multi-sensory strategies help to focus a student's attention on what they are learning.
  
  
  

  “Students with dyslexia can acquire the skills of reading and writing if they are taught in the multi-sensory structured way that corresponds to their learning style and learning needs.”  Int’l Dyslexia Association

  
  
  
  
• Structured, Sequential, Cumulative. The elements of language are taught in specified sequences in order to build from basic to more sophisticated language elements (for example, consonants, vowels, digraphs, blends, and diphthongs) and from simple to more advanced structural elements (for example, syllable types, roots, and affixes). Vocabulary, sentence structure, composition, and reading comprehension are taught in a similar structured, sequential, and cumulative manner. While skills build, previously learned skills are continuously reinforced in order to ensure mastery.
  
  
• Cognitive. The English language is often unpredictable and is driven by many rules and generalizations. Students learn these rules and how to apply them in new situations so as to become more independent readers and learners.
  
  
• Flexible. Teachers need to know how to help each student succeed and must have the freedom to adjust their teaching plan for each student to best meet the students' needs.
  
  
• Emotionally Sound. It is important that, in every lesson, students experience a high degree of success and gain confidence as well as skill so that learning becomes a rewarding and happy experience.