Questions Every Parent Should Ask Before Hiring a Dyslexia Professional
If you’ve ever been told, “Oh yes, they’re Orton-Gillingham trained,” and still felt unsure, you’re not imagining things.
That phrase sounds reassuring — and sometimes it is — but in practice, it can mean wildly different things depending on who’s saying it. For some professionals, “OG trained” reflects years of supervised clinical training and demonstrated competency. For others, it may refer to a short workshop or introductory course with little to no hands-on practice.
As a parent, you’re expected to make a high-stakes decision based on language that isn’t regulated, clearly defined, or consistently applied. And that’s not your fault.
The good news? There are concrete questions you can ask that cut through the confusion and help you understand what kind of training and experience a dyslexia professional truly has.
Executive Summary
If you are interviewing a dyslexia tutor, therapist, or reading specialist, this guide will help you:
These questions are not about gatekeeping. They are about protecting your child’s time, confidence, and long-term reading outcomes.
Why “Orton-Gillingham Trained” Isn’t a Clear Standard
Orton-Gillingham is an instructional approach, not a single program — and there is no universal governing body that regulates how the term is used.
That means a classroom teacher who attended a weekend overview, a tutor who completed a short online course, and a clinician who completed hundreds of supervised practicum hours may all legally describe themselves as OG trained.
The issue isn’t that one of these paths is inherently bad. The issue is that they are not equivalent, and parents are rarely told the difference.
Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. Supporting it effectively requires more than familiarity with strategies — it requires deep knowledge of language structure, error patterns, diagnostic teaching, and responsive instruction over time.
That’s why asking the right questions matters.
7 Questions Every Parent Should Ask a Dyslexia Professional
This is one of the most important questions you can ask.
High-quality dyslexia training does not stop at coursework. It includes supervised teaching with real students, where a more experienced specialist observes instruction, provides feedback, and ensures that methods are being applied correctly.
If the answer is no — or if the professional isn’t sure what you mean by supervised practicum — that tells you something important about the depth of their preparation.
Not all practicum experiences are equal.
Strong dyslexia training programs typically require hundreds of supervised hours, spread across multiple students and skill levels. This allows the trainee to learn how different dyslexia profiles present, adjust instruction based on student response, and develop diagnostic teaching skills rather than simply following a script.
A handful of hours is exposure. Hundreds of hours build expertise.
Supervision matters just as much as the hours themselves.
A meaningful practicum is overseen by professionals with advanced dyslexia credentials through established dyslexia organizations or accredited training programs. This ensures instruction is evaluated by someone with deep, specialized knowledge rather than general teaching experience alone.
This question gets to the heart of professional accountability.
Ask whether the provider had to be observed teaching full lessons, receive structured feedback, revise instruction based on critique, and demonstrate mastery before being allowed to work independently.
In strong programs, competency is earned — not assumed.
Effective dyslexia training is not quick.
While timelines vary, comprehensive preparation typically takes months to years, not weeks. This includes coursework, supervised practicum, observation, feedback cycles, and assessment.
If a provider describes their training as very brief, that doesn’t automatically disqualify them — but it does help you understand what kind of experience they’re bringing to the table.
This distinction is critical.
Dyslexia is not a reading delay, a lack of exposure, or a motivation issue. It is a neurologically based language difference that affects how the brain processes written language.
Training that focuses broadly on reading strategies is not the same as training designed specifically for dyslexia. Ask whether their preparation addressed phonological processing, orthographic mapping, structured literacy principles, and error analysis through diagnostic teaching.
Specificity matters.
Certification is not the only indicator of quality — but it is one way to understand training rigor.
Credentials from established dyslexia organizations typically require extensive coursework, supervised practicum, demonstration of competency, and ongoing professional development.
A provider should be able to clearly explain what their credential represents and what was required to earn it.
The Truth Most Parents Aren’t Told
Two professionals can both say, “I’m OG trained,” and one may have completed 20 hours of instruction while the other completed 700.
That doesn’t make one person dishonest. It makes the system unclear.
These questions don’t make you difficult. They make you informed — and informed parents are better equipped to protect their child’s learning and confidence.
A Final Word for Parents
Asking these questions doesn’t make you difficult.
It makes you informed — and informed parents are powerful advocates.
Some families find that clarity alone helps them move forward confidently. Others decide to seek more specialized support when school-based services aren’t enough. Either path is valid.
At Dyslexia On Demand, we believe parents deserve transparency, education, and respect as they navigate dyslexia decisions — because when parents understand the system, children benefit.
If you’re looking for more tools to help you make confident, informed decisions about dyslexia, you’re in the right place. You can contact us here.
References
International Dyslexia Association. (2024). Structured literacy: Effective instruction for students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties. https://dyslexiaida.org/structured-literacy/
Moats, L. C. (2020). Teaching reading is rocket science (2020 ed.). American Federation of Teachers. https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/moats.pdf
Snowling, M. J., Hulme, C., & Nation, K. (2020). Defining and understanding dyslexia: Past, present and future. Oxford Review of Education, 46(4), 501–513. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2020.1765756
Kilpatrick, D. A. (2015). Essentials of assessing, preventing, and overcoming reading difficulties. Wiley.
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