OG training?

[FairProspects]

It is likely we will be done homeschooling in the next couple of years if all continues go well at our private school. I'm a certified teacher with an MEd, and one of the possibilities I'm considering for when we finish homeschooling, is to get some official OG training and put everything I've learned as the parent of dyslexics to use, either in the school system as a reading specialist or as an OG tutor. I'm considering doing the Landmark School dyslexia certificate, but that is not specifically OG training. What are good options for getting OG (especially advanced phonics) training? Are there certificates, college programs, or other credentials in OG? I think some of you have done this - Sandy? Displace? Merry?

 

It is funny how our kids influence our lives and careers. :)

[Storygirl]

Our local, well regarded dyslexia school is a member of this organization and follows their protocol in the training that they conduct. You can link from this website to training centers and also learn about the process.

 

http://www.ortonacademy.org/

 

This is not the only organization that certifies OG tutors, but I think it is reputable.

[ElizabethB]

Some parents are specifically looking for Barton certificates and want Barton tutoring.

[OneStepAtATime]

Some parents are specifically looking for Barton certificates and want Barton tutoring.

I agree.  I think to be a really successful tutor it would help to have more than just Barton, though.  The most effective tutor I have found so far incorporates Barton, PACE, LiPS and several other programs as needed since every child is different, with different needs.  Some of the programs DSs tutor used are not available unless you are trained through a specialized tutoring service, though, as I understand it.  

 

FP maybe you could start with training on Barton and LiPS since you can get those on your own and also find a reputable OG training location/group you can do as you have time.  Combining multiple systems seems to work best as far as I can tell.  In other words, start layering.  Work to add more layers as you go.  I am actually thinking about this, too, but have not delved deeply into it yet.  I will be following this thread with interest.

[FairProspects]

Some parents are specifically looking for Barton certificates and want Barton tutoring.

 

Barton is actually not at all well known or requested locally. I could not find *any* tutors in our area and I don't think it is even requested by parents. I've seen many requests on local pages for OG tutors or dyslexia tutors so I am thinking that is a larger market here. I think I'd prefer OG training as it seems to be more flexible and I know the local dyslexia schools and organizations offer conferences, periodic trainings, etc. Plus, it seems to me like OG techniques are more transferable to a school setting while working as a reading specialist. That could just be my perception though.

[Mandamom]

I got mine through here. Luckily I didn't have to pay for it. 

 

http://www.ortonacademy.org/training_courses.php

[displace]

Hi! I had mine through Institute for multi sensory training (Ortin-gillingham.com). They have different levels of courses. The "basic" course is for grades preschool or K through third (end of second). The advanced course is beginning third grade and up, I believe. The course was one week long. After just taking the course you are already qualified as being Orton gillingham "trained". You get higher level certification after submitting lessons or teaching of students.

 

They use recipe for reading as a spine but the lessons can be used with any solid spine materials that are progressive with phonetic rules.

 

Some teachers there taking the course were looking for tutoring on the side, others were free lance employees with schools.

 

Eta - regarding kids and parents careers- I am considering getting into some type of diagnosis field, and the Drs. Eides were influenced by their son (dyslexic advantage).

Edited February 25, 2016 by displace

[VinNY]

Do you need a teacher's credential to get certified with either course?

 

[Mom28GreatKids]

Do you need a teacher's credential to get certified with either course?

I do not believe so. Someone correct me if I am wrong. I am looking into both a well.

[displace]

No teaching credentials needed with IMSE.  There were a couple of moms but most were teachers/principals and variants thereof.  The course can be used for teachers needing continuing education or other certifications (licenses?) needing masters level courses.

[Mandamom]

Do you need a teacher's credential to get certified with either course?

The one I took only requires a Bachelor's Degree and I received Master's Degree credit for the course, for extra work that I did. 

 

I'm not a certified teacher, and really have no interest in becoming one. I'm currently earning my Master's in Reading. 

[imagine.more]

Most OG training only requires you to have a bachelor's degree. I do happen to have a teaching degree but it's not necessary generally. 

 

I was trained in Maryland by Fran Bowman. Basically you can get trained by any fellow of the OG Academy. 

 

I found the training super interesting and I highly recommend it! It could be a great way to put your experience into practice to help other kids. I find tutoring to be very similar to homeschooling, much more so than teaching in a classroom. Basically what I've realized is that homeschooling is like one-on-one tutoring in every subject :)

[Kaitfish]

Hey there, I'm new to this site. I'm researching how to get my OG certification. From what I understand, I do the weekend training and then I have to do a practicum in order to be certified? How long did it take you gals to get certified? I have a Bachelors Degree in Psychology. I am looking to work with my second grader and hopefully other kids in our community. I'm from North Idaho- there are no other tutors in the area and I'm fed up with trying to find someone when I could do it! I believe multisensory tutoring would be most helpful from all of the other tutoring styles I have found. My dau also has issues with executive functioning/memory etc. From what you have studied with OG, do you think it helps strengthen executive functioning etc.? Thank you!! I'm glad to meet other moms/professionals on the same journey. Cheers, Kaitlin

[PeterPan]

Hey there, I'm new to this site. I'm researching how to get my OG certification. From what I understand, I do the weekend training and then I have to do a practicum in order to be certified? How long did it take you gals to get certified? I have a Bachelors Degree in Psychology. I am looking to work with my second grader and hopefully other kids in our community. I'm from North Idaho- there are no other tutors in the area and I'm fed up with trying to find someone when I could do it! I believe multisensory tutoring would be most helpful from all of the other tutoring styles I have found. My dau also has issues with executive functioning/memory etc. From what you have studied with OG, do you think it helps strengthen executive functioning etc.? Thank you!! I'm glad to meet other moms/professionals on the same journey. Cheers, Kaitlin

In your case, you might want to just get Barton and be done with it.  Barton System | Reading & Spelling System Since 1998

 

Barton is excellent, open and go, and would be something you could start IMMEDIATELY.  You could do the pretest with her tomorrow, talk with Barton about placement, order your levels, watch the online videos while your stuff comes in the mail, and begin in a week.  

 

OG training is fine, but really Barton is probably fine for your situation.  Barton is fully scripted, where straight OG training would leave you needing to create your own lesson plans.  We've had OG tutors on here saying they spend *significant* time prepping lessons.  That's fine when you're paid $65 an hour, but moms aren't paid!  You can even become a certified Barton tutor later and use it to tutor.  Barton's story of how she got into this is tremendous, and it's fine methodology.

[Guest2]

I agree. I think to be a really successful tutor it would help to have more than just Barton, though. The most effective tutor I have found so far incorporates Barton, PACE, LiPS and several other programs as needed since every child is different, with different needs. Some of the programs DSs tutor used are not available unless you are trained through a specialized tutoring service, though, as I understand it.

 

FP maybe you could start with training on Barton and LiPS since you can get those on your own and also find a reputable OG training location/group you can do as you have time. Combining multiple systems seems to work best as far as I can tell. In other words, start layering. Work to add more layers as you go. I am actually thinking about this, too, but have not delved deeply into it yet. I will be following this thread with interest.

I am thinking about doing this too! I am not familar with PACE , going to look it up. Originally, I had thought of refreshing my O.T. Degree and combining it with some sort of behavorial program, but I am getting older and reading would be much easier on my body. Edited February 26, 2016 by Silver Brook

[imagine.more]

In your case, you might want to just get Barton and be done with it. Barton System | Reading & Spelling System Since 1998

 

Barton is excellent, open and go, and would be something you could start IMMEDIATELY. You could do the pretest with her tomorrow, talk with Barton about placement, order your levels, watch the online videos while your stuff comes in the mail, and begin in a week.

 

OG training is fine, but really Barton is probably fine for your situation. Barton is fully scripted, where straight OG training would leave you needing to create your own lesson plans. We've had OG tutors on here saying they spend *significant* time prepping lessons. That's fine when you're paid $65 an hour, but moms aren't paid! You can even become a certified Barton tutor later and use it to tutor. Barton's story of how she got into this is tremendous, and it's fine methodology.

I totally agree! I am trained in OG but I still use Barton as my primary structure because it's just that good and it's all scripted and ready to go. No need to come up with nonsense words on my own, etc. It's like a normal OG lesson on steroids, lol! So for parents I recommend just getting Barton and making progress immediately. My DD at 12 was illiterate, hearing impaired, and intellectually disabled and Barton has gotten her reading on a 4th grade level already. You really can't beat those kind of results.

[Kaitfish]

Thank you, ladies! I actually have the first three books for Barton, I just haven't been trained in it. The reason I was leaning towards OG was because of the word Multisensory. I want something that will work on several levels. Strengthening her short term memory, etc. Does Barton do a good job with this? I may just have to come up with my own curriculum for the executive functioning stuff. I'm most likely going to have to cut back my hours at work and homeschool it sounds like. Now I'm just talking aloud haha. Thanks for your input! I haven't met any moms yet that are in my same position so I am grateful for this thread!

[OneStepAtATime]

Thank you, ladies! I actually have the first three books for Barton, I just haven't been trained in it. The reason I was leaning towards OG was because of the word Multisensory. I want something that will work on several levels. Strengthening her short term memory, etc. Does Barton do a good job with this? I may just have to come up with my own curriculum for the executive functioning stuff. I'm most likely going to have to cut back my hours at work and homeschool it sounds like. Now I'm just talking aloud haha. Thanks for your input! I haven't met any moms yet that are in my same position so I am grateful for this thread!

Have you actually watched the videos? Practice doing a lesson with another adult? It can take a bit to wrap your head around teaching a student this way but Barton covers several different approaches to each thing. Multiple modalities are implemented. If yiy run into snags, there are additional suggestions in the TM and on the website and in the online support group for tutors if what you are using isn't working well.

 

Getting OG training is great, don't get me wrong. But if you are having trouble wrapping your head around Barton, which is scripted and has training videos and lots of online support, OG training may or may not be a good fit. As others have mentioned, you have to come up with your own lessons and it can be labor intensive. Some people prefer that, though. It certainly wouldn't hurt to get that level of training at all. I think it would be great. I just don't want you to think that OG training would be easier than Barton. Good luck and best wishes.

[Kaitfish]

Have you actually watched the videos? Practice doing a lesson with another adult? It can take a bit to wrap your head around teaching a student this way but Barton covers several different approaches to each thing. Multiple modalities are implemented. If yiy run into snags, there are additional suggestions in the TM and on the website and in the online support group for tutors if what you are using isn't working well.

 

Getting OG training is great, don't get me wrong. But if you are having trouble wrapping your head around Barton, which is scripted and has training videos and lots of online support, OG training may or may not be a good fit. As others have mentioned, you have to come up with your own lessons and it can be labor intensive. Some people prefer that, though. It certainly wouldn't hurt to get that level of training at all. I think it would be great. I just don't want you to think that OG training would be easier than Barton. Good luck and best wishes.

 

Thank you! I watched the first video but felt like it was actually too easy- like maybe there is another program that covers more at once. I'm just in the research phase. I am going to study up over the weekend and get started on Monday with Barton to give it a try. I don't like the part of OG where I have to come up with my own lessons- that sounds super time consuming. Searching the website is a good idea too. Thanks for your input!

[Guest2]

Kaitfish,the Barton method worked really well in my family as well. It did not go as smoothly with my kids as it does on Susan's video with an adult.

Op, good luck and keep us posted. As a parent, I would have been over the moon to have a mom of dyslexic kids with special training teach or tutor my kids. It adds another layer of someone"getting us".

Edited February 26, 2016 by Silver Brook

[PeterPan]

Thank you, ladies! I actually have the first three books for Barton, I just haven't been trained in it. The reason I was leaning towards OG was because of the word Multisensory. I want something that will work on several levels. Strengthening her short term memory, etc. Does Barton do a good job with this? I may just have to come up with my own curriculum for the executive functioning stuff. I'm most likely going to have to cut back my hours at work and homeschool it sounds like. Now I'm just talking aloud haha. Thanks for your input! I haven't met any moms yet that are in my same position so I am grateful for this thread!

Did you buy Barton from her or used?  If you buy directly from Barton, you get access to the online videos.  If you bought a used kit, there *should* have been DVDs in it.  

 

EF is something we talk a LOT about here.  We've had some threads on things we're doing.  What are you wanting to do?  I use a multi-pronged approach with my ds.  Yes Barton will bump working memory, but you can add in additional work.  We've done digit spans, games (A Fist Full of Coins), kinesthetic activities, etc.  Right now I have him doing a Grammar Processing book that requires him to notice lots of details, hold them all in his mind, and touch the correct picture.  Then he does it the reverse way.  This has dramatically expanded his ability to hold and communicate more sophisticated thoughts.  So don't just think ONE THING for EF.  You're going to work on working memory multiple ways.  EF goes way beyond that anyway, with self-regulation, organization, sequencing, etc. etc.  I don't expect my reading program to solve all that, kwim?

 

Thank you! I watched the first video but felt like it was actually too easy- like maybe there is another program that covers more at once. I'm just in the research phase. I am going to study up over the weekend and get started on Monday with Barton to give it a try. I don't like the part of OG where I have to come up with my own lessons- that sounds super time consuming. Searching the website is a good idea too. Thanks for your input!

This doesn't make sense.  You did the student screening pretest?  That's where you start.  Then if she passes that AND you pass the tutor screening, then you can go to the backs of your levels 1-3 and start doing the post-tests.  That will help you determine placement.  Maybe she's not placed correctly.

 

But just to say oh I watched 15 minutes of a video and that's too "easy", that's silly.  The Barton lessons are set up with material that can be done in an hour with some kids and a week or a month for others.  It's very FLEXIBLE within the structure.  I have a gifted dc, so with him I push things way farther than the average bear.  When it says do 3 letters, we take the same skill out to 6.  On and on.  These are just skills, and you have lots of ways to use materials with a more capable child.  She might be ready for a faster pace or not placed correctly.

 

Not to point out the obvious, but not everyone needs Barton.  Barton is intended to be the most thorough open and go approach you can buy.  You're going to have to speed it up with some kids.  Some kids infer and figure out things.  Now I say that, and my ds, 2E, does not.  Where we stopped covering, he stopped learning.  He has gotten stronger on the skills already covered, but his brain can't figure out these patterns and rules on its own.  He's still dyslexic.  He's just this sort of astonishing dyslexic.  I make it work for him.  Barton lets me catch all the holes and make sure he really has it.

 

So maybe start the with the screening tool and placement tests, since you have them.  Watch the videos that came with it or just open and go.  The main thing in level 1 is just to nail the hand motions and requiring them to stop and do each step.  The REASON it has all those nitpicky slow steps is because that's where the working memory gets stretched.  It's not just about whether she can do the skill.  It's can she do the skill AND hold everything in her head.  And if she can do it with 3, go ahead and do it with 4, 5,6 letters.  Easy peasy.

[Kaitfish]

Did you buy Barton from her or used?  If you buy directly from Barton, you get access to the online videos.  If you bought a used kit, there *should* have been DVDs in it.  

 

EF is something we talk a LOT about here.  We've had some threads on things we're doing.  What are you wanting to do?  I use a multi-pronged approach with my ds.  Yes Barton will bump working memory, but you can add in additional work.  We've done digit spans, games (A Fist Full of Coins), kinesthetic activities, etc.  Right now I have him doing a Grammar Processing book that requires him to notice lots of details, hold them all in his mind, and touch the correct picture.  Then he does it the reverse way.  This has dramatically expanded his ability to hold and communicate more sophisticated thoughts.  So don't just think ONE THING for EF.  You're going to work on working memory multiple ways.  EF goes way beyond that anyway, with self-regulation, organization, sequencing, etc. etc.  I don't expect my reading program to solve all that, kwim?

 

This doesn't make sense.  You did the student screening pretest?  That's where you start.  Then if she passes that AND you pass the tutor screening, then you can go to the backs of your levels 1-3 and start doing the post-tests.  That will help you determine placement.  Maybe she's not placed correctly.

 

But just to say oh I watched 15 minutes of a video and that's too "easy", that's silly.  The Barton lessons are set up with material that can be done in an hour with some kids and a week or a month for others.  It's very FLEXIBLE within the structure.  I have a gifted dc, so with him I push things way farther than the average bear.  When it says do 3 letters, we take the same skill out to 6.  On and on.  These are just skills, and you have lots of ways to use materials with a more capable child.  She might be ready for a faster pace or not placed correctly.

 

Not to point out the obvious, but not everyone needs Barton.  Barton is intended to be the most thorough open and go approach you can buy.  You're going to have to speed it up with some kids.  Some kids infer and figure out things.  Now I say that, and my ds, 2E, does not.  Where we stopped covering, he stopped learning.  He has gotten stronger on the skills already covered, but his brain can't figure out these patterns and rules on its own.  He's still dyslexic.  He's just this sort of astonishing dyslexic.  I make it work for him.  Barton lets me catch all the holes and make sure he really has it.

 

So maybe start the with the screening tool and placement tests, since you have them.  Watch the videos that came with it or just open and go.  The main thing in level 1 is just to nail the hand motions and requiring them to stop and do each step.  The REASON it has all those nitpicky slow steps is because that's where the working memory gets stretched.  It's not just about whether she can do the skill.  It's can she do the skill AND hold everything in her head.  And if she can do it with 3, go ahead and do it with 4, 5,6 letters.  Easy peasy.

 

thank you so much! See, I wish I had someone like you as my neighbor that is already doing all of this. I guess I thought it was too easy because I feel overwhelmed with trying to make sure she is getting everything she needs at this time. So when I watched the first training video from the dvd, it seemed too simple, like there should be more going on. I definitely did not give it the amount of time needed to explore. I like how you said Barton lets me catch all the holes and make sure he really has it. As a second grader she has been moved along much quicker than she was ready for. We have been doing extra things at home, but with two different schools it has just added to her problem. So taking her out of school and starting from the first step would be ideal. We did not do any of the testing and I just saw that online today that we need to test. The program I have is from my mother in law. It has all of the pieces to it. I am going to buy into the program though and try to get as much information as I can over the weekend. Thank you for the EF ideas too. I'm looking forward to exploring this site and reading over what you guys have already talked about, etc.  Those nitpicky slow steps and working memory are huge, thanks for saying that. I just ordered 5 books off of amazon on working memory, EF, etc. I need to learn more about this for sure. Thank you for taking the time to write all of that, it really means so much!