Areté Orton Gillingham Studio

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Langley, BC
Areté Orton Gillingham Studio

More than a business, our mission is to change lives and give hope. To change self-doubt into confidence. Their excellence is our mission.

To guide and empower students to discover their unique gifts and strengths.

09/03/2026

The English language isn't just random memorization. It’s full of secret rules that we are here to help you teach your child!

Spelling Rule: The "Cat/Kite" Rule (C vs. K)
Visual Suggestion: A clean, engaging illustration showing a friendly Cat with letters A, O, U on its body, next to a Kite with ribbons labeled I, E.
Caption:
Why is "cat” 🐱 spelled with a ‘C’, but "kite" 🪁 is spelled with a K’?

To a struggling reader, spelling choices can feel completely random. But the English language actually has a secret pattern we teach our students: “The Cat/Kite Rule”!

Here is how it works:

Use ‘C’ when the next letter is ‘A, O, or U’ (think of a cute ‘c’at!)
Examples: ‘ca’b, ‘co’b, ‘cu’t
Use ‘K’ when the next letter is ‘I or E’ (think of a flying ‘k’ite!)
Examples: ‘ki’t, ‘ke’pt

Try this mini-game tonight:
Give your child a word to spell (like ‘cup’ or ‘kid’). Have them listen closely to the vowel sound first to decide whether ‘C’ or ‘K’ should do the building!

When kids learn the rules instead of relying on pure memorization, reading and spelling stop being a guessing game.

Follow our page for more actionable spelling hacks, or reach out to our team through our bio or link below to help your child decode with confidence!

www.areteog.ca/contact

08/13/2026

Dyslexic brains are incredibly fast and high-performance machines. They are brilliant big-picture thinkers and 3D problem solvers. However, when it comes to standard reading instruction, it can be like putting a racecar on a slick track with the wrong tires; no matter how much power the engine has, they end up spinning their wheels and feeling frustrated when they aren't moving in the direction they expected to.

At Areté Orton-Gillingham Studio, we are here to give your child the traction they need and deserve. We use a structured, multisensory approach that started in the 1930s backed with the 30 years of experience from our founder, we help these high-speed thinkers grip the foundational rules of language so they can accelerate and move with confidence.

Ready to help your child stop spinning their wheels? DM us or visit our website today!

www.areteog.ca

08/05/2026

Not every superhero learns the same way.

Even Charles Xavier's X-Men needed a specialized school to figure out how to use their gifts. Students with dyslexia are no different! Their brains are wired for incredible creativity and problem-solving, but standard schooling can leave them feeling defeated.

At Areté Orton Gillingham Studio we are not just a simple tutoring program we are a personalized, multisensory approach to help dyslexic thinkers master their own abilities and conquer reading and spelling.

Let's unlock your child's superpower together!! Send us a DM or leave us a comment asking how we can help!

www.areteog.ca

07/30/2026

Welcome to Arete Orton-Gillingham! We want to formally introduce the heart and soul behind our practice: our founder, Avril.

For over 30 years, Avril has dedicated her career to teaching the Orton-Gillingham approach, working with students in both one-on-one and small-group settings. Beyond working directly with students, she mentors and supervises other educators to help them secure their OG credentials.

✨ Accredited Orton-Gillingham Practitioner in both Canada (OGP) and the USA (AOGPE).
✨ Supervising Mentor and Evaluator with Orton-Gillingham Canada.
✨ Cross-trained in Wilson Reading, Lindamood-Bell, Barton, and Montessori (through UBC).

Beyond credentials, Avril’s driving force is her deep, unwavering passion for helping children reach their absolute full potential. She has spent three decades making those moments happen for her students.

We still have a few spots open for fall! Click the link in our bio to connect with our team and discuss how we can support your child this school year.

07/25/2026

Don't let Summer Fun turn into September stress!

With the school year fast approaching, August is the time to ease back into helpful literacy routines. At Areté Orton-Gillingham Studio, we use specialized, multisensory techniques to make reading practice physical, engaging, and effective.

Here are 3 simple ways to prep for the school season:

Skywriting: Have your child write a word in the air using two straight fingers and their whole arm. This helps to lock the shape into their motor memory!
Bumpy Red Words: "Red words" (like said or does) break the phonetic rules and have to be memorized. Writing them with a red crayon over a textured surface creates a strong tactile memory.
Syllable Chops: When your child is facing a long, intimidating word, show them how to physically "chop" it with their hand into smaller syllable chunks.

If your reader needs a confidence boost before September, a targeted "soft start" this August can make all the difference. Send our team a DM or visit the link in our bio to chat about how we can help your child, from anywhere across Canada!

06/14/2026

Parents often ask us: "If my child is already in school all day, why do they need an Orton-Gillingham practitioner?"

The truth is, standard schooling and OG aren’t competing, they are the perfect partnership.

🏫 The Standard Classroom is a fast-paced environment. It gives your child social connections, a broad curriculum, and exposure to incredible topics like science, history, and the arts. But because it moves quickly and caters to the majority, reading and spelling are often taught with a "one-size-fits-all" approach.

🧠 Orton-Gillingham is thought of as a specialized key that unlocks that classroom. We slow things down and teach the how and why of the English language using structured, multisensory techniques. We rewire the brain for reading and spelling so that when your child goes back into their standard classroom, they have the independent skills to tackle that science textbook or write that history essay with confidence.

School provides the map; OG provides a turn-by-turn navigation for the kids who need a different route!

Contact us for a consult on how we can help your child at https://areteog.ca/contact/

06/06/2026

Did you know the English language isn't just random memorization? It’s actually full of secret codes!

If your child struggles with spelling, they could be relying entirely on visual memory. Here’s a favorite Orton-Gillingham mini-lesson you can try at home with your child to solve a very common spelling mystery: When do we use 'C' and when do we use 'K' at the beginning of a word?

Many early spellers just guess, but there’s a dependable, easy-to-learn rule!

The C vs. K Rule:
✨ K takes I and E. (Think: kite, keep, kid)
✨ C takes the other three: A, O, and U. (Think: cat, cot, cup)

Grab a piece of paper and write out the rule for your child: K with i/e, C with a/o/u.

Explain the "secret code" to them.

Say a simple word out loud (try: cob, kit, cab, keg, cut).

Have them isolate the vowel sound they hear.

Ask them to use their new rule to tell you if the word starts with a C or a K!

In the Orton-Gillingham approach, we explicitly teach these phonetic rules instead of relying on rote memorization. For a child with dyslexia or reading struggles, understanding the why behind spelling removes the guesswork, reduces anxiety, and builds their confidence.

🔗 Reach out today to connect with us and learn more about our tailored, one-on-one sessions: https://areteog.ca/contact/

05/18/2026

Ever wonder why we use sand to teach reading? 🏖️

If your child struggles with reading or spelling, standard worksheets might not be enough to make the concepts "stick." That’s where the magic of Areté Orton-Gillingham Studio comes in!

In this photo, you see a child drawing an "ing" sound using a sand tray. This isn't just for fun, it's a core OG technique called Multisensory Learning.

Visual: They see the letters on the card and in the sand.

Auditory: They say the sounds out loud as they write ("i - n - g says /ing/").

Tactile: They feel the texture of the sand and use muscle memory to form the letters.

By engaging multiple senses simultaneously, we create stronger neural pathways in the brain. It takes reading from a purely visual task and turns it into a whole-brain experience, especially highly effective for dyslexic learners!

🏠 Mini-Lesson to Try at Home:
You don't need fancy blue sand to try this! Grab a baking sheet and spread a thin layer of salt, sugar, or even shaving cream on it. Call out a letter sound or a short spelling word, and have your child trace it with their index finger while repeating the sound out loud. Gently shake the tray (or add more shaving cream!) to "erase" and try another!

Is your child feeling frustrated with reading? Discover how personalized, multisensory Orton-Gillingham instruction can unlock their potential and rebuild their confidence.

Connect with our team: https://areteog.ca/contact/

05/09/2026

Lets try the Orton-Gillingham "Finger Tapping" method! 🖐️✨

Sometimes, sounding out words can feel overwhelming for growing readers. That’s where Finger Tapping comes in!

Here’s a mini-lesson using the word C-A-T:

1. Have your child hold up their non-writing hand.
2. Have them say the first sound (/k/) while tapping their index finger to their thumb.
3. Have them say the middle vowel sound (/a/) while tapping their middle finger to their thumb.
4. Have them say the final sound (/t/) while tapping their ring finger to their thumb.
5. Have them slide their thumb smoothly across those three fingers while saying the whole word aloud: "CAT!"

At Areté Orton-Gillingham Studio, we know that reading isn't just about looking at letters. Our approach is explicitly multi-sensory. By pairing a physical touch (tapping) with the auditory sound (phoneme), we are helping the brain build a stronger, physical connection to the word. This turns abstract letters into a tangible experience, making decoding and blending easier!

Try this tonight with other three-letter words like dog, sun, or pig.

We are here to help your child build confidence and fundamental skills. Reach out to us today to learn more about our personalized sessions: https://areteog.ca/contact/

05/01/2026

Dyslexic brains aren't broken, they are brilliant. 🧠✨

We see the struggle first: jumbled letters, messy spelling, and the avoidance of reading. What’s hidden behind chaos is a powerful mind that is wired for creativity, complex problem-solving, and BIG thoughts.

Their challenge isn't intelligence; it's decoding the world to their own brain. The code of the English language is often invisible to them.

At Areté Orton-Gillingham Studio, we don't just teach. We provide the scaffolding your child needs to learn. With a multisensory, explicit approach to take the tangled mess of letters in their mind and gives them tools to build a clear and logical path to success.

Shall we work together to see your child's true potential? Book your consultation with Areté today: areteog.ca/contact/

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Langley, BC
V1M – V4W

Website

http://areteog.ca/

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