William & Mary O.G. Scholars Program builds strong foundations in literacy
In a lively kindergarten classroom at J. Blaine Blyton Elementary School, young learners discover the building blocks of language.
“On the next line, I want you to write the word, big, but as you write it say the letters,” says Orton-Gillingham (O.G.) scholar Alison Mayer ’25. “B-I-G spells big.” Students echo the word and follow along, sounding it out together. Tiny hands use their pencils to write out each letter as their eyes stay focused and engaged in the lesson. Moments like this are at the heart of the O.G. Scholars Program, where theory meets practice in real time.
To support impactful teaching moments like these, the William & Mary Special Education Program and the W&M Training and Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC) partnered with the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to launch the O.G. Scholars Program in 2024. The collaboration aligns with the School’s vision and mission to provide programs that support the Commonwealth and create sustained, immersive learning experiences for Education students.
The Orton-Gillingham approach is a specialized, multi-sensory reading method designed to support students struggling with reading or reading disabilities.
“Pre-service educators are trained in an instructional approach designed to improve reading skills for students with persistent learning needs and then serve as an interventionist in local public school divisions to provide an additional dose of instruction for these students,” said Zenia Burnett, VDOE director of the Office of Special Education Instructional Services. “This provides opportunity and intense preparation for the aspiring educator entering the field, while assisting classroom educators with intervention efforts for learners.”
The School of Education is one of only two teacher preparation programs in Virginia offering this opportunity to students in either the M.A.Ed. in Special Education or B.A.Ed. with Special Education concentration programs. Through a highly competitive application process, five scholars were selected as the inaugural W&M O.G. Scholars cohort: Audrey Dolak ’25 (M.A.Ed. in Special Education), Emma Rose Williams ’25 (M.A.Ed. in Special Education), Bridgette Smith ’25 (M.A.Ed. in Special Education), Alison Mayer ’25 (B.A.Ed. with Special Education Concentration) and Claudia Brooks ’25 (B.A.Ed. with Special Education Concentration).
Last July, the VDOE provided an intensive weeklong training to Virginia educators hosted by the W&M School of Education. While the training typically comes at a substantial cost per participant, the five O.G. Scholars were selected to receive it free of charge.
According to Burnett, providing grant funding and fostering collaboration among pre-service educators, teachers and university colleagues allows the VDOE to respond to some of the state’s most challenging education needs, including teacher retention.
“These intentional and seamless alliances are an effective model to attract, prepare and likely retain qualified personnel to fill critical educator shortages, as the O.G. Scholars commit to working in Virginia Public Schools for at least two years,” she said.
Following their summer training, the scholars were tasked with implementing the O.G. approach in a real-world classroom setting. During the 2024-2025 academic year, each scholar was paired with a cooperating teacher trained in implementing a multisensory literacy approach, allowing them the opportunity to apply their newly acquired skills directly with students.
J. Blaine Blayton Elementary School Principal Kristin Schweitzer shared her thoughts on the O.G. Scholars Program and the placement of two scholars at her school: “Orton-Gillingham training is so important. Developmental, foundational blocks of reading for kids along with having teachers who are trained to recognize what kids need to know and what they need to do next to be able to come proficient readers is really important.”
While school leaders recognize the impact of the program, it is the experiences of the scholars themselves that highlight the program’s strong impact. The success stories they shared from their practicum year praised the flexibility of the Orton-Gillingham approach and its adaptability across age groups. One scholar who worked with a secondary student described how the structured method helped a previously disengaged learner grow more confident and capable, especially with their ability to handle complex words. The scholar appreciated how the approach was tailored to the student’s specific learning needs, which helped both the scholar and the student.
Another scholar praised the level of coaching and support from T/TAC’s Associate Director Elizabeth Auguste and Clinical Instructor of Literacy Education Tamara Williams.
“I could apply it and immediately see results and how that impacted their learning. I really appreciated that particularly, because it is not something you get every time you get feedback.”
According to feedback from a third scholar, the training provided valuable resources, including a crash course on spelling rules. The scholar found that this was particularly helpful for teaching morphology – or the study of the forms of words – to older students. She added that the training provides valuable certification and prepares participants for future teaching approaches.
“I got to go back and visit the kids that I had done O.G. with for my first semester. When I first started with them, they didn’t even know all the letters in the alphabet, and by the end [of the first semester], they were reading one-syllable words. I was surprised by how powerful of a tool it is, and I am really grateful I had the opportunity to learn it.”
Motivated by the success of this initial partnership, the VDOE has approved the program for a second year. With hopes to announce a new cohort in the fall, the School of Education is excited to welcome two passionate scholars who have been selected to carry forward the mission and make a lasting difference.