Certification Program
One of the primary ways the Academy pursues its mission is by a Certification Program of individuals who apply for Academy membership. An applicant submits specified credentials and documentation that are reviewed against the criteria and standards set by the Academy for four different levels of membership.
The Academy certifies Individual Members at one of three levels: Associate, Certified, and Fellow. These three levels represent a continuum of increasing training, experience and professional competency. In addition, there is a Subscriber membership for persons who have taken a basic introduction to the Orton-Gillingham Approach but who have yet to undertake the training and practice required to become a certified member of the Academy. The Academy also has Institutional Members whose Orton-Gillingham instructional programs have been accredited by the Academy. (See Accreditation Program) For further information, please visit our section on Training Programs and Courses.
BEFORE APPLYING
Persons contemplating application should begin by reading NOTICE TO APPLICANT and then by proceeding to the appropriate membership level.
Please note that the documentation called for in these application forms relies heavily upon training provided by Fellows of the Academy.
Applications for membership at the Associate, Certified, and Fellow levels are reviewed twice a year.
Learn more about the required and recommended reading for applicants.
Fully completed applications, checklists and required letters of support must be post marked by
January 10th or post marked by July 10th.
Confirmation letters are mailed to applicants once applications are processed and sent to the Certifying Committee, usually within 2-3 weeks of the submission date deadline.
DECISION LETTERS:
- For the January 10th deadline, decision letters are mailed in May.
- For the July 10th deadline, decision letters are mailed in October.
All Application forms by the Academy are available in PDF form and requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Associate Level members have met the following requirements:
Bachelor's degree (in any area of study)
Option A:
Orton-Gillingham coursework totaling a minimum of 60 hours
Orton-Gillingham supervised practicum experience, teaching one-to-one, totaling 100 hours over a minimum period of eight months to one year
10 entire 40-60 minute lesson observations by a Fellow (on-site or video and if videoed, unedited)
Evidence of completion of Academy-required readings at the Associate Level
Option B:
Orton-Gillingham course work totaling a minimum of 60 hours + 10 additional hours on adapting the Orton-Gillingham approach
to group or classroom instruction
Orton-Gillingham supervised praticum experience of at least 100 hours over a minimum of eight months to one year, 50 hours of which
are 1:1 and 50 hours in a group or classroom setting
10 entire 40-60 minute lesson observations by a Fellow (on-site or video and if video, unedited)
Evidence of completion of Academy-required readings at the Associate Level
Associate Level members may tutor individuals using the Orton-Gillingham Approach while continuing to work with supervision by a Fellow.
Persons contemplating application should begin by reading NOTICE TO APPLICANT and then by proceeding to download the appropriate membership documents.
TRAINING OPTIONS
Those seeking training that leads to Academy certification have the option of working with individual Fellow(s) or enrolling or pursuing training within an Academy Accredited Training Program.
Academy Accredited Training Programs
- Click on Training
Training courses provided by Academy Fellows, listed by State
- Click on State
Download all the forms required for Academy membership at the Associate Level.
This includes an Application form, Associate Check List and two Letters of Support.
deadlines
- Fully completed applications, checklists and required letters of support must be post marked by January 10th or post marked by July 10th.
- Confirmation letters are mailed to applicants once applications are processed and sent to the Certifying Committee usually within 203 weeks of the submission date deadline.
DECISION LETTERS
- For the January 10th deadline, decision letters are mailed in May.
- For the July 10th deadline, decision letters are mailed in October.
Certified Level members have completed all the requirements for Associate Level. The Certified Level member has also fulfilled the following:
An additional 100 additional hours of Orton-Gillingham coursework (for a total of 160 hours)
An additional 200 hours of Orton-Gillingham supervised practicum experience (for a total of 300 hours) over a two year period
10 entire 40-60 minute lesson observations by a Fellow in addition to those in the Associate Level for a total of 20
Evidence of completion of Academy- required readings at the Certified Level
Certified Level members are qualified to tutor individuals and teach small groups using the Orton-Gillingham Approach.
Persons contemplating application should begin by reading NOTICE TO APPLICANT and then by proceeding to download the appropriate membership documents.
TRAINING OPTIONS
Those seeking training that leads to Academy certification have the option of working with individual Fellow(s) or enrolling or pursuing training within an Academy Accredited Training Program.
Academy Accredited Training Programs
- Click on Training
Training courses provided by Academy Fellows, listed by State
- Click on membership level
- Click on State
DOWNLOAD ALL THE FORMS REQUIRED FOR ACADEMY MEMBERSHIP AT THE CERTIFIED LEVEL.
This includes an Application form, Certified Check List and two Letters of Support.
note change in certified application - NOvember 2011
- In order to clearly show the prescriptive-diagnostic process of the Orton-Gillingham Approach, Certified Level Applicants should now submit a pre- and post lesson plan in addition to the annotated lesson plan for both students.
- Since it is so close to the January 10th submission date, this new requirement will not take full effect until the July 10th, 2012, submission date.
DEADLINES
- Fully completed applications, checklists and required letters of support must be post marked by January 10th or post marked by July 10th.
- Confirmation letters are mailed to applicants once applications are processed and sent to the Certifying Committee usually within 2-3 weeks of the submission date deadline.
DECISION LETTERS
- For the January 10th deadline, decision letters are mailed in May.
- For the July 10th deadline, decision letters are mailed in October.
Fellow Level members have completed all the requirements stipulated for the Certified Level. Fellow Level members have also fulfilled the following:
Master's degree or the international equivalent; an additional 90 hours of coursework (for a total of 250 hours)
An additional 300 hours of Orton-Gillingham supervised practicum experience (for a total of 600 hours) with a minimum of six years as a practitioner
Documentation of observations while teaching coursework to practitioners at the Associate and Certified Levels and while supervising such practitioners
Evidence of completion of Academy-required-readings at the Fellow Level and evidence of continuing professional development
Fellows are qualified to train and supervise others in the Orton-Gillingham Approach.
Persons contemplating application should begin by reading NOTICE TO APPLICANT and then by proceeding to download the appropriate membership documents.
TRAINING OPTIONS
Those seeking training that leads to Academy certification have the option of working with individual Fellow(s) or enrolling or pursuing training within an Academy Accredited Training Program.
Academy Accredited Training Programs
Training courses provided by Academy Fellows, listed by State
- Click on State
Download all the forms required for Academy membership at the Fellow Level.
This includes an Application form, two Letters of Support and the Required Fellow Check List.
DEADLINES
- Fully completed applications, checklists and required letters of support must be post marked by January 10th or post marked by July 10th.
- Confirmation letters are mailed to applicants once applications are processed and sent to the Certifying Committee usually within 2-3 weeks of the the submission date deadline.
DECISION LETTERS
- For the January 10th deadline, decision letters are mailed in May.
- For the July 10th deadline, decision letters are mailed in October.
Subscriber Level members have completed, as a minimum, one of the Academy's Subscriber courses:
10 hour Online Subscriber Course developed by the Academy
(Administered by Educational Publishing Services)
Subscriber course offered by team of Academy Fellows at the yearly Academy Conference (News and Announcements)
Subscriber courses offered by Academy Fellows around the country (Training Courses) (Academy Accredited Training Programs)
A Subscriber course provides an initial overview of the nature of dyslexia and of the principles of the Orton-Gillingham Approach. Also eligible to become Subscriber members are persons who have taken or may be taking Orton-Gillingham training from an Academy Fellow that exceeds this minimum. The Subscriber member is not a practicing professional of the Orton-Gillingham Approach. One must complete the initial coursework and practicum requirements set by the Academy at the Associate level of membership to practice using the Orton-Gillingham Approach.
The subscriber course is an introduction to the Orton-Gillingham approach. Subscriber members receive mailings including lists of approved courses and conferences, announcements, and newsletters. Subscriber members are informed consumers but are not qualified to teach using the Orton-Gillingham approach.
Download application form the Subscriber Level.
This includes an Application form.
ONLINE Subscriber APPLICATION
(after completion of the EPS 10-hour online course)
Learn more about the ESP Online Subscriber Course.
