Orton-Gillingham curriculum options, compared
Orton-Gillingham is an approach, not a single curriculum. That is why tutors comparing an "Orton-Gillingham curriculum" end up looking at very different products: some are fully scripted multi-level programs, others are frameworks you build lessons within. The right choice depends on who you teach, how much prep time you have, and how much of the sequencing you want to own.
Popular programs at a glance
Wilson Reading System
Best for: Older students and intensive intervention
Highly scripted, with a tightly defined ten-step scope and sequence, sound cards, and built-in progress monitoring. Strong structure, but it expects fidelity to its own sequence and pacing.
Barton Reading & Spelling
Best for: One-to-one tutoring, including tutors newer to OG
Video-trained and fully scripted across ten levels. Easy to pick up independently, though materials are level-locked and pacing is fixed by mastery checks.
Orton-Gillingham (classic / academy-trained)
Best for: Experienced tutors who build their own lessons
Not a boxed program but a diagnostic, prescriptive approach. Maximum flexibility, but the tutor supplies the scope and sequence, word lists, decodable text, and data tracking.
Recipe for Reading / S.P.I.R.E.
Best for: Small groups and classroom intervention
OG-based, sequenced lesson frameworks with ready-made word lists and readers. Group-oriented pacing can need adjusting for a single student.
Really Great Reading / UFLI Foundations
Best for: Early elementary and budget-conscious tutors
Structured, research-aligned sequences with strong phoneme-grapheme mapping routines. Lighter on advanced morphology than full OG programs.
How to choose between them
- Scope and sequence fit: Does the order of skills match the students you actually serve—early readers, older strugglers, or advanced morphology?
- Level of scripting: Scripted programs shorten prep and training; open approaches let you diagnose and prescribe lesson by lesson.
- Materials included: Check what you get: word lists, decodable text, sound cards, dictation, and assessments—and what you'll have to build.
- Assessment and data: Mastery checks, running records, and progress reports are what parents see. Weak data tools mean more manual work for you.
- Cost and training: Certification, kits, and per-level materials add up quickly. Factor in renewal and per-student material costs.
The part no curriculum solves
Whichever program you pick, the weekly workload is the same: keep each student on the right point in the sequence, pull matching word lists and decodable text, run the lesson, record what happened, and report progress to families. Most tutors do that across a binder, a spreadsheet, and three tabs.
Run any OG curriculum in one workflow
LitTrack is curriculum-agnostic on purpose. Load your own scope and sequence—Wilson, Barton, UFLI, or one you wrote yourself—and tag your word lists, decodable stories, and assessments to those skills. Premium accounts can hold more than one scope and sequence and assign different students to different tracks. Pick a student's target skill and the matching lesson plan, teaching tools, practice, and progress data come with it, so switching or combining programs never means rebuilding your system.