**THIS COURSE IS PENDING FOR CPE POINTS FOR ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS; SUBJECT TO APPROVAL
Overview
This course offers participants an in-depth exploration of orthography, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to directly and explicitly teach essential spelling rules, generalizations, and patterns. Educators will gain expertise in key concepts such as the FLoSS rule, ck, C vs. K, tch, suffix -s and -es, dge/ge, the doubling rule, e-drop, and vowel teams.
Additionally, trainees will discover how the Orton-Gillingham approach incorporates the S.O.S. (Simultaneous Oral Spelling) technique, transforming spelling instruction into a multisensory process that enhances retention and mastery.
Course Fees & Closing Dates
| Registration Type | Closing Date | Fees (S$) /pax |
|---|---|---|
| Early Bird | 1 May 2026 | 200 |
| Normal | Till Full | 260 |
Schedule
Duration : Half-Day Workshop
| Date | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Jun 2026 | 9.00am – 1.00pm (Singapore Standard Time GMT+0800) |
Live Online Training |
Corporate Registration Individual Registration
Speaker
Kim Nau
Kim Nau has an M.S. degree from Hofstra Universit in New York, and she is a full-time dyslexia therapist. She is one of less than 200 Fellows (worldwide) in the prestigious Orton-Gillingham Academy. She is also a certified Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Specialist from the Center for Effective Reading Instruction. She is a board member of the Long Island, New York branch of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA). Kim Nau is a published author with a book called, Orton-Gillingham Lesson Planning Guide: Differentiated word lists with decodable phrases and sentences for little kids and big kids.
Kim has had a wide-ranging teaching career with experience working with a varied population of students. She began her teaching career in New York City over 20 years ago as a classroom teacher and then moved on to teaching English to speakers of other languages at local colleges. Her passion for teaching students with dyslexia began in 2016 when she had the opportunity to study the Orton-Gillingham approach. Kim now has over 4,000 hours of experience working one-on-one with students (ranging in ages from 6-74) who have language-based learning disabilities.
Course Outline
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Overview of English Orthography
- Definition and significance in reading and spelling instruction
- Relationship between phonology, morphology, and orthography
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Orthography within the Orton-Gillingham Approach
- Core OG principles: direct, explicit, sequential, and multisensory instruction
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How orthographic instruction supports decoding and encoding
- Role of spelling sounds, words, and sentences
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Spelling Rules, Generalizations, and Patterns
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The FLoSS generalization
- Application and exceptions
- Teaching strategies and multisensory activities
- Generate word lists in groups
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The ck generalization
- Short vowel rule for final /k/ sound
- Contrasting ck and k in closed syllables
- Differentiate word lists for younger students and older students
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C vs. K generalization
- Spelling choices for the initial /k/ sound
- Practice activities and visual supports
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The tch generalization
- When to use tch vs. ch
- Connection to syllable types and short vowels
- Role play in break out rooms how to teach one of the spelling generalizations to your partner
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Suffixes -s and -es
- Rules for adding plural and verb endings
- Morphological awareness and pronunciation considerations
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The dge/ge generalization
- Short vowel connection and spelling of the /j/ sound
- Comparing dge, ge, and j
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The FLoSS generalization
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Advanced Spelling Patterns and Rule Applications
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The Doubling Rule (1-1-1 Rule)
- Participants sort vowel and consonant suffixes
- When to double a final consonant before adding a suffix
- Visual and tactile reinforcement activities
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The e-Drop Rule
- Guidelines for dropping the silent e before suffixes
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Vowel Teams
- Overview of common vowel team patterns
- Strategies for introducing and reinforcing vowel team spelling with their position in a word
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The Doubling Rule (1-1-1 Rule)
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Multisensory Spelling Instruction and S.O.S. Technique
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Introducing the S.O.S. (Simultaneous Oral Spelling) Technique
- Purpose and procedures
- Modeling and guided practice
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Making Spelling Multisensory
- Visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile components
- Tools and materials for multisensory instruction
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Introducing the S.O.S. (Simultaneous Oral Spelling) Technique
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Diagnostic and Prescriptive Teaching in Orthography
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Analyzing Student Spelling Errors
- Using sentence dictation exercise for formative assessments
- Identifying error patterns and orthographic gaps
- Using data to inform instruction
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Analyzing Student Spelling Errors
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Reflection
- Review of Key Concepts and Recap
Course Objectives
- Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of English orthography and its role in structured literacy instruction.
- Identify and teach key spelling rules, generalizations, and patterns including the FLoSS rule, ck, C vs. K, tch, suffixes -s and -es, dge/ge, the doubling rule, e-drop, and vowel teams.
- Apply the principles of the Orton-Gillingham approach to deliver direct, explicit, and systematic spelling instruction.
- Utilize the S.O.S. (Simultaneous Oral Spelling) technique to integrate multisensory strategies that strengthen spelling accuracy and retention.
- Analyze student performance diagnostically and prescriptively to plan targeted spelling instruction aligned with individual learning needs.
Who Can Benefit?
Special educators, mainstream teachers, therapists, support staff, and parents will benefit from a deeper knowledge of how the brain learns to read and how instruction needs to be more supportive for children with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities.
