Orton-Gillingham Summer Courses

Summer 2024 courses have been announced!

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All three instructors have the Literacy/Dyslexia Endorsement from Rhode Island Department of Education. 
Upon completion of these approved courses of study, RI certified educators will be able to add a Literacy/Dyslexia endorsement to a valid RI certificate. Adding the Literacy/Dyslexia endorsement to current, existing, and valid Rhode Island certificate(s) recognizes an educator’s specialty area expertise as well as indicates an educator has met the proficiency requirements of the Right to Read Act legislation.

Meet the 2024 Orton-Gillingham course instructors:

Photo of Katie Takayanagi smiling

Katie Takayanagi M.S., ATF/OGA, Orton-Gillingham Tutor/Teacher Trainer

Katie Takayanagi M.S., ATF/OGA, Orton-Gillingham Tutor/Teacher Trainer and tutor based in Brooklyn, NY, and a native New Englander. She is an accredited training Fellow of The Orton-Gillingham Academy. She holds a B.A. from Wesleyan University in French Studies and an M.S. from Antioch University New England in Environmental Studies, as well as a middle school science teaching certification. She tutors students of all ages in both school and home settings and trains educators who teach in a variety of settings as well. In addition to her work as a tutor and teacher-trainer, Katie leads a team of educators at Alphabet City Tutors, an Orton-Gillingham tutoring company serving students throughout New York City.

Photo of Deb Morris

Deb Morris, Founder of Orton-Gillingham Nation

Deb Morris is the founder of Orton-Gillingham Nation, which offers online tutoring, as well as training at the Classroom Educator, Associate, Certified, and Fellow levels. She is an accredited training Fellow of The Orton-Gillingham Academy and serves on its Standards Committee. Additionally, she is a Structured Language Dyslexia Specialist (SLDS) through the Center for Effective Reading Instruction (CERI).

Deb holds a Master’s degree in Literacy Education and is a licensed reading specialist and secondary English teacher. Her formative years in education were shaped by her passion for equity, which led her to an innovative high school in Providence, Rhode Island, that uses the real world as a learning lab. In her role as a literacy coach, she provided 1:1 and small-group Orton-Gillingham support to students. Additionally, she facilitated Orton-Gillingham training for staff members, as well as for community members who completed their practicum experiences with her students. In 2016, she left the classroom to be the Orton-Gillingham Specialist/Curriculum Developer for a non-profit organization in Massachusetts that specializes in providing Orton-Gillingham training. In this capacity, she assisted in training and supervising teachers at the Classroom Educator, Associate, and Certified levels in the New England area.

Deb is also certified under Rhode Island’s Right to Read Act through OG Nation. This recognizes an educator’s specialty area expertise as well as indicates an educator has met the proficiency requirements of the Right to Read Act legislation.

Photo of Jenny Singer HarrisJenny Singer Harris, Certified Member of the Orton-Gillingham Academy and Fellow-in-Training

Jenny Singer Harris has worked in the field of education for over 10 years. She is a Certified Member of the Orton-Gillingham Academy (C/OGA) and a Fellow-in-Training (F.I.T.). Jenny has teaching certifications in Elementary Education and Special Education (moderate and severe disabilities). She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from American University and her Master’s Degree in Special Education from Teachers College at Columbia University.

Until 2020, Jenny worked as a special educator serving students in the elementary grades in the Public Schools of Brookline in Brookline, MA. She spent the majority of her years in Brookline teaching in a district-wide program for students with dyslexia. In this program, she collaborated closely with general education classroom teachers and special education teachers to adapt their curriculum and instruction to meet the needs of their students. She also worked tirelessly to develop her own instruction for one-on-one and small group settings. Currently, Jenny is working as a private Orton-Gillingham tutor and teacher-trainer.

Jenny is also certified under Rhode Island’s Right to Read Act through Nuts & Bolts Educational Tutoring. This recognizes an educator’s specialty area expertise as well as indicates an educator has met the proficiency requirements of the Right to Read Act legislation.

Now offering Certified Level training. This is only open to individuals who have already completed Associate Level training. This is recommended for any district or school that is working towards building a self-sustaining, multisensory, structured language-based program.

Summer 2024 Courses

July 8-12, 9am-3:30pm daily, virtual

Class limit: 12
Course cost: $1350 (includes extensive materials and shipping. Additional charges for international shipping may apply.)
Instructor: Katie Takayanagi M.S., ATF/OGA

The 30-hour Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator course is aligned with the Standards of the Orton-Gillingham Academy. It is designed to provide educators with the knowledge to teach reading and writing skills using a structured, simultaneously multisensory, evidence-based approach at the whole class or small group level. The course addresses reading acquisition in all learners as well as the nature and needs of the dyslexic learner, the principles of the Orton-Gillingham approach, and knowledge of the structure of the English language. Teachers learn to design and implement Orton-Gillingham-based lessons involving phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and handwriting. A supervised 50-hour practicum is highly recommended for teachers who have completed the course work, where they will be able to implement what they learn in their particular setting with the mentorship of an OGA Fellow.
Individuals seeking Classroom Educator certification through the Orton-Gillingham Academy may apply to the Academy after the successful completion of the course and practicum.

Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree (minimum)
  • Proof of a current background check if you choose to pursue the practicum
  • Computer with camera and microphone, as well as high-speed, reliable internet connection

Refund/Cancellation Policy for Classroom Educator Coursework:

If you need to withdraw from this coursework, please notify margotmiller@wheelerschool.org as soon as possible. If notification of cancellation occurs 60 days prior to the course start date, you will receive a full refund. If notification of your need to withdraw occurs prior to June 20, 2024, your registration fee is transferable to another training by The Hamilton Institute. The rescheduled training must take place within one (1) year from the original training or event date, providing another training or event is being offered. Cancellations made after June 15, 2024, will not be refunded or credited.

July 15-19, 9am-3:30pm daily, virtual

Class limit: 12
Course cost: $1350 (includes extensive materials and shipping. Additional charges for international shipping may apply.)
Instructor: Katie Takayanagi M.S., ATF/OGA

The 30-hour Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator course is aligned with the Standards of the Orton-Gillingham Academy. It is designed to provide educators with the knowledge to teach reading and writing skills using a structured, simultaneously multisensory, evidence-based approach at the whole class or small group level. The course addresses reading acquisition in all learners as well as the nature and needs of the dyslexic learner, the principles of the Orton-Gillingham approach, and knowledge of the structure of the English language. Teachers learn to design and implement Orton-Gillingham-based lessons involving phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and handwriting. A supervised 50-hour practicum is highly recommended for teachers who have completed the course work, where they will be able to implement what they learn in their particular setting with the mentorship of an OGA Fellow.
Individuals seeking Classroom Educator certification through the Orton-Gillingham Academy may apply to the Academy after the successful completion of the course and practicum.

Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree (minimum)
  • Proof of a current background check if you choose to pursue the practicum
  • Computer with camera and microphone, as well as high-speed, reliable internet connection

Refund/Cancellation Policy for Classroom Educator Coursework:

If you need to withdraw from this coursework, please notify margotmiller@wheelerschool.org as soon as possible. If notification of cancellation occurs 60 days prior to the course start date, you will receive a full refund. If notification of your need to withdraw occurs prior to June 20, 2024, your registration fee is transferable to another training by The Hamilton Institute. The rescheduled training must take place within one (1) year from the original training or event date, providing another training or event is being offered. Cancellations made after June 15, 2024, will not be refunded or credited.

First five days: June 26-28 and July 1-2, 9am-3:30pm daily, virtual

The remaining five days of training will be scheduled for weekdays during the school year.

Class limit: 8
Coursework Fee: $2600 (for full 70 hours of coursework)
Practicum Fee: $3,000 ($300/observation, paid as observations are scheduled throughout the year)
Instructors: Deb Morris, M.Ed., F/AOGPE, and Jenny Singer Harris, M.A., FIT/OGA

This 70-hour online synchronous and asynchronous course will teach reading, spelling, and writing skills using the Orton-Gillingham approach, a structured alphabetic-phonetic system that engages visual, auditory, and kinesthetic pathways to develop the neural pathways for learning. All coursework and practicum follows the curriculum set forth by the Orton-Gillingham Academy.

Associate level training is ideal for all teachers, but especially those educators working with Tier 2 students (e.g., reading and ELL teachers), as well as Tier 3 instructors (i.e., special educators and speech pathologists). The Associate Level course and practicum prepares teachers to apply the principles of the O-G Approach in a 1:1 or small group setting.

As of March 8, 2023, OG Nation and Nuts & Bolts Educational Tutoring are approved providers under Rhode Island’s Right to Read Act for the Associate Level training. This means that this course leads to endorsement in the area of Literacy/Dyslexia. Rhode Island educators will be able to add a Literacy/Dyslexia endorsement to a valid Rhode Island Certificate. This recognizes an educator’s specialty area expertise as well as indicates an educator has met the proficiency requirements of the Right to Read Act legislation.

If a minimum of 6 students is not reached, a spot in the other week will be offered, or money will be refunded.

Required with this course is a commitment to the 100-lesson practicum, including 10 observations by the supervising Fellow and/or Fellow-in-Training.

Individuals seeking Associate Level certification through the Orton-Gillingham Academy may apply to the Academy after the successful completion of the 70-hour course and 100-hour practicum. Six graduate credits are available for this course for an additional fee.

Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree (minimum)
  • Proof of a current background check
  • Computer with camera and microphone, as well as high-speed, reliable internet connection

Refund/Cancellation Policy for Associate Level Coursework:

Once paid, registration fees for training courses and other events are non-refundable. If a registrant desires to reschedule his/her/their attendance at a training or event, a registration is transferable to another training or event hosted by Orton Gillingham Nation (OGN)/Nuts & Bolts Educational Tutoring (N&B), as long as the registrant provides at least thirty (30) days written or electronic (emailed) notice of the desire to transfer the registration. The rescheduled training or event must take place within one (1) year from the original training or event date, providing another training or event is being offered. Contact margotmiller@wheelerschool.org as soon as possible if you need to cancel.

First five days: August 7-8 and 12-14, 9am-3:30pm daily, virtual

The remaining five days of training will be scheduled for weekdays during the school year. 

Class limit: 8
Coursework Fee: $2600 (for full 70 hours of coursework)
Practicum Fee: $3,000 ($300/observation, paid as observations are scheduled throughout the year)
Instructors: Deb Morris, M.Ed., F/AOGPE, and Jenny Singer Harris, M.A., FIT/OGA

This 70-hour online synchronous and asynchronous course will teach reading, spelling, and writing skills using the Orton-Gillingham approach, a structured alphabetic-phonetic system that engages visual, auditory, and kinesthetic pathways to develop the neural pathways for learning. All coursework and practicum follows the curriculum set forth by the Orton-Gillingham Academy.

Associate level training is ideal for all teachers, but especially those educators working with Tier 2 students (e.g., reading and ELL teachers), as well as Tier 3 instructors (i.e., special educators and speech pathologists). The Associate Level course and practicum prepares teachers to apply the principles of the O-G Approach in a 1:1 or small group setting.

As of March 8, 2023, OG Nation and Nuts & Bolts Educational Tutoring are approved providers under Rhode Island’s Right to Read Act for the Associate Level training. This means that this course leads to endorsement in the area of Literacy/Dyslexia. Rhode Island educators will be able to add a Literacy/Dyslexia endorsement to a valid Rhode Island Certificate. This recognizes an educator’s specialty area expertise as well as indicates an educator has met the proficiency requirements of the Right to Read Act legislation.

Class limit is 8. If a minimum of 6 students is not reached, a spot in the other week will be offered, or money will be refunded.

Required with this course is a commitment to the 100-lesson practicum, including 10 observations by the supervising Fellow and/or Fellow-in-Training.

Individuals seeking Associate Level certification through the Orton-Gillingham Academy may apply to the Academy after the successful completion of the 70-hour course and 100-hour practicum. Six graduate credits are available for this course for an additional fee.

Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree (minimum)
  • Proof of a current background check
  • Computer with camera and microphone, as well as high-speed, reliable internet connection

Refund/Cancellation Policy for Associate Level Coursework:

Once paid, registration fees for training courses and other events are non-refundable. If a registrant desires to reschedule his/her/their attendance at a training or event, a registration is transferable to another training or event hosted by Orton Gillingham Nation (OGN)/Nuts & Bolts Educational Tutoring (N&B), as long as the registrant provides at least thirty (30) days written or electronic (emailed) notice of the desire to transfer the registration. The rescheduled training or event must take place within one (1) year from the original training or event date, providing another training or event is being offered. Contact margotmiller@wheelerschool.org as soon as possible if you need to cancel.