Educational Program

Educational Model

Orton Academy serves 2nd-8th grade students with dyslexia and other reading difficulties through offering Certified Academic Language Therapy provided by highly trained and nationally certified Certified Academic Language Therapists to each enrolled student. Orton Academy also offers a high level of appropriate accommodations to support the needs of all learners. All International Multisensory Education Council accredited 2nd through 8th grade ELA and math classes will operate at approximately 20 students per class once full K-8 expansion occurs. All reading intervention classes will be between 4-6 students depending upon intervention and individualized student need. The Kindergarten and 1st grade structure will consist of no more than 18 students per self contained classroom with one professor per classroom who is either in process, or has received certification to become, a nationally Certified Academic Language Therapist.

Core Programming

ELA

The Colorado Academic Standards for ELA will be delivered through Wit & Wisdom's core reading and writing curriculum, Lexia Core 5 personalized online programming, Freckle's adaptive intelligence based personalized digital online programming, and through individualized reading interventions delivered through certified academic language therapists and other highly trained intervention personnel.

Math

The Colorado Academic Standards for Math will be delivered through Engage New York/Eureka Math core math curriculum, Spatial-Temporal Math personalized online programming, multi-sensory TouchMath, other adaptive intelligence based personalized digital online programming, and through individualized tutor support delivered through highly trained educators.

Science and Social Studies

In K-5 the Colorado Academic Standards (CAS) for social studies and science will be heavily integrated into our ELA and math programming. Secondary science and social studies will be both integrated into our ELA and math programming as well as supported through a core resource.

Literacy Interventions

• Certified Academic Language Therapists Deliver Take Flight Instruction to All Students Struggling in Reading

• Structured Language Literacy Interventions

• Blended Online Personalized ELA Support

• Take Flight Intervention For All Students

Certified Academic Language Therapists

Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA) Certified Academic Language Therapists provide diagnostic, explicit, systematic multisensory structured language intervention which builds a high degree of accuracy, knowledge, and independence for students with written-language disorders, including dyslexia.

Clinically Diagnostic and Prescriptive

Certified Academic Language Therapists (CALT) review comprehensive evaluation reports and academic samples, then administer academic skills assessments for baseline documentation. Throughout Multisensory Structured Language therapy sessions, student performance informs diagnostic and prescriptive intervention to create a high level of accuracy, fluency, and understanding for independence in written language skills.

Skilled in Multisensory Structured Language

Certified Academic Language Therapists integrate visual, auditory, and motor processing with explicit understanding of the structure of the English language, which provides a solid foundation in written language skills.

Intensive

Certified Academic Language Therapists provide expert, skilled one-to-one or small-group intervention, with high frequency over a sustained period of time, which links explicit understanding, repeated practice and performance to develop accurate and fluent reading with comprehension.

Results Driven

Certified Academic Language Therapists enable explicit understanding and application of the structure of the English language (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and orthography), to create the foundation for age-appropriate oral and written language, including reading accuracy, fluency and comprehension, spelling, and written expression.

Supplemental Programming

Discovery Class Time

There will be a discovery time for each student. This class will integrate art, music, and physical education standards into one time period to ensure we are nurturing the valuable gifts our students possess outside the core academic realm. Our pathfinder work at the middle school level will be delivered through our discovery and blended learning classes. This work will include technology integration training, career interest and exploration work, and pathway plan support including interest exploration, career interest surveys, and student’s creating passion projects at the end of each year. This along with our innovation space class time will provide opportunities for interdisciplinary authentic learning experiences.

Blended Learning

Each student will focus on their own personalized digital pathways in ELA and Math. Students will learn at their own pace on their own level while being supported with personalized direct instruction from a blended learning coach.

Pathfinders

Technology Integration Training

Physical Education and Extracurricular Engagement

Career Interest and Pre Pathway Support (ICAP)

• Interest Exploration, Career Interest Surveys, Expanding our Students Gifts

Passion Projects

• Culminating yearly projects that focuses on areas students are passionate about (art, dance, sports, outdoors, animals, automobiles, etc.)

Providing Opportunities for Interdisciplinary Authentic Learning Experiences

• Engage New York curriculum will be integrated into the Innovation Space in order to bring increased authenticity, relevance, engagement, and hands on learning to our literacy programming.