The writing road to reading: From theory to practice.

Orton-based programs include essential elements that insure success for teaching language to regular and special education children. This paper traces the theoretical foundations of The Writing Road to Readingby Romalda B. Spalding (1990) from the beginning concepts taught Mrs. Spalding by Dr. Samuel T. Orton through its validation in current cognitive science and learning theory. Pilot project locations and success statistics with regular and special education children in Arizona, Louisiana, Maine, and Texas are presented. It explains how direct, multisensory instruction in seven processes necessary for skilled reading and principles of skill learning and instruction are incorporated in the Spalding Method.