To dyslexics and their families, DII’s Wells Outreach tutoring is the proven path to reading.

Instructors meet with students at least twice a week to provide one on one tutoring in reading, spelling, writing, comprehension, and expressive and written language skills. DII uses the research-based Orton-Gillingham approach. The comprehensiveness of the DII application of O-G is unique in central Indiana. Each lesson is custom designed based on the skills that individual student mastered in the previous lesson.

The Orton-Gillingham approach grew out of the work of Dr. Samuel T. Orton (1879-1948) and Anna Gillingham (1878-1964). Dr. Orton, a professor of neuropsychiatry and neuropathology at the Neurological Institute of Columbia University, was a pioneer in focusing attention on language differences by bringing together neuropsychiatric information and principles of remediation. As early as 1925 he had identified the syndrome of developmental disability, separated it from mental defect and brain damage, and offered a physiological explanation with a favorable prognosis. Working with Dr. Orton, Anna Gillingham, with her assistant Bessie W. Stillman, further developed procedures in an organized presentation.

Using the O-G approach, students can master the 85% of the English language that is phonetic and teaches them to make intelligent responses to the 15% of the language that must be memorized.

DII offers Basic instruction, for nonreaders through fourth-graders, and Advanced instruction, for fifth-graders and above. To assess progress, students new to Orton-Gillingham are first tested after 40 sessions and 80 sessions and again at 120.

Our instructors, who are DII employees, must pass a 50-hour class in Orton-Gillingham training, followed by a 7- hour practicum. DII offers training for a fee for new instructors twice a year. Because they’re so valued, DII pays its tutors well and seeks tutors from all parts of Marion County and the surrounding counties. Instructors meet their students at a location that’s convenient for both, including the DII office.

We’re here to assist -- contact us at 545-5451, ext. 228, or dyslexia@dyslexiaindiana.org.