Altuz Academy Dyslexia Intervention Orton-Gillingham Approach by Altuz Academy

Good news to all parents who had kids with Dyslexia ! Altuz Academy had brought in Orton-Gillingham Approach which is a global reference for Dyslexia Intervention to Malaysia. Some of you might wonder what is Dyslexia. Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder a probable genetic basis that cause a problem with word decoding, which in turn impacts spelling performance and the development of reading fluency.

Early identification of children at risk of dyslexia followed by the implementation of intervention is a realistic aim for practitioners and policy-makers before the children with Dyslexia fall behind in traditional school which could lead to irreparable harm, low self-esteem and a widening gap that becomes increasingly difficult to close. This has negative societal implications and it is a crucial responsibility of parents to ensure that their dyslexic children are able to read proficiently to ensure their quality of life. 

Orton-Gillingham is a program that uses a flexible approach to target issues commonly associated with Dyslexia such as reading, spelling and writing. This therapy uses both direct and systematic approaches, making what comes naturally to some children more explicit for those who may be struggling to learn the rules of literacy. Orton-Gillingham targets literacy using a multisensory approach, having children learn and practice rules using verbal, visual and tactile/kinesthetic means to increase association and carryover.

All Academic Language Therapists at Altuz Academy had receive the vigorous training and supervised practicum accredited by the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators (AOGPE) and IDA. 

“It is critically important that remedial specialists, educators and teachers working with dyslexic students be vetted, highly trained in an evidence-based approach with oversight and accountability. Literacy training should be comprehensive, accredited by an international organization and include a supervised practicum period. There should also be ongoing professional development for the sake of the children whom they work with,” said founder of Altuz Academy, Dr Choy Su-Ling. 

Dr Choy, together with centre manager Yap Jo Ling, created history in the international dyslexia community by being the first two AOGPE-trained academic language therapists from Malaysia. They will continue to be observed and audited by the AOGPE to meet and maintain the high standards of teaching. 

The Orton-Gillingham approach was developed in the 1920s by Dr Samuel Orton, a doctor who first discovered dyslexia, together with Anna Gillingham, a gifted teacher and psychologist. This approach has been further supported by over 100,000 scientific studies over 70 years that conclusively showed that a reading approach should include five important pillars: phonemic awareness, systematic phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

In the hands of a skilled instructor, this is a powerful instructional approach that benefits students of all ages and abilities so that learning becomes a rewarding experience. The key features of this approach are multisensory, sequential, incremental, cumulative, individualized, based on phonograms, and explicit. 

Altuz Academy is located at Unit 9, Level 3, Block A, Jalan Solaris, Solaris Mont Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. Contact them at 03-23892265. For more information, do visit their facebook page at www.facebook.com/altuzacademy.

Altuz Academy do offer assessment to determine the level of your child's dyslexia before decide which level is the best for your child to start with. Early detection will give them the greatest chance at personal and academic success.