Reading & Learning Clinic - MB, Canada

04/02/2026

How to get your students started with written composition.

It always starts with discussion and brainstorm.

Formulaic writing provides confidence and structure for basic paragraph development.

Formulaic writing procedure - Structured Writing

04/01/2026

Phonics to develop vocabulary, grammar and fluency.

Here’s a quick video to get you started !

Leveraging phonics to develop vocabulary, grammar, fluency

03/27/2026

A New Horizon for Canadian Literacy

The transformative efficacy of the Orton-Gillingham approach, as championed by Dr. Valdine Bjornson and the Reading & Learning Clinic Canada, provides a clear roadmap for the future of Canadian literacy.

From the Tataskweyak Education Authority to the public and private schools of Manitoba and beyond, the results are consistent: when we align our instruction with the science of how the brain learns to read, students succeed.

The evidence is clear, and the tools are available. We are left with a single, urgent question: Can we afford to let another generation of student teachers enter the classroom without the one tool proven to bridge the literacy gap?

Sign up for our courses now!

2025-26: evenings, weekends or summer. Tentative dates until 4 weeks prior. Associate Part A ( $1100*) 30+ hours (Anglo-Saxon and OG fundamentals). Formerly known as Classroom Educator *includes 2 Anglo-Saxon phonics/morphology guidebooks and phoneme/grapheme deck plus online resources

03/26/2026

The Critical Link: Connecting Speech Sounds to Letter Symbols

A primary differentiator of the Orton-Gillingham approach is its rigorous focus on "speech-to-print" instruction. While many literacy programs treat the relationship between sounds and symbols as secondary or intuitive, the OG coursework treats it as the foundational necessity for orthographic mapping.

Andrea, a Speech-Language Pathologist within a Rural Public School Division, identifies this explicit focus as the hallmark of the training’s effectiveness. By grounding literacy in phonemic awareness—the ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words—the method ensures that students aren't just memorizing shapes, but are building the cognitive pathways necessary for fluent decoding.

"This is one of the only reading programs that links letter sounds to speech sounds."

For a strategist, this is the essential differentiator. By anchoring symbols to the sounds students already speak, the OG method demystifies the written word for those who struggle most.
Join our courses today!

2025-26: evenings, weekends or summer. Tentative dates until 4 weeks prior. Associate Part A ( $1100*) 30+ hours (Anglo-Saxon and OG fundamentals). Formerly known as Classroom Educator *includes 2 Anglo-Saxon phonics/morphology guidebooks and phoneme/grapheme deck plus online resources

03/26/2026

03/24/2026

The Dual-Action Approach: Teaching Reading and Spelling Simultaneously

In many educational settings, reading and spelling are erroneously treated as separate silos. The Orton-Gillingham method rejects this fragmentation, favoring a "two-way street" approach where both are integrated into every single lesson.

This is a matter of instructional efficiency and cognitive science.

By teaching reading (decoding) and spelling (encoding) simultaneously, educators essentially halve the instructional time while doubling the reinforcement of the language’s phonemic structure. This dual-action approach reduces cognitive load by showing students that these skills are mirrors of one another. When a student can build a word, they can read the word.

This synergy creates a more robust memory of language patterns, making literacy acquisition faster and more permanent.

Sign up for our training now!

2025-26: evenings, weekends or summer. Tentative dates until 4 weeks prior. Associate Part A ( $1100*) 30+ hours (Anglo-Saxon and OG fundamentals). Formerly known as Classroom Educator *includes 2 Anglo-Saxon phonics/morphology guidebooks and phoneme/grapheme deck plus online resources

03/23/2026

The 30-Hour Standard: Why Every Teacher Needs This Toolkit

Specialized literacy training must move from being an "extra" professional development credit to becoming a core requirement for classroom readiness. The 30-hour OG Associate Part A course is the gold standard for equipping teachers to handle the complexities of dyslexia and varied reading difficulties from day one.

Critically, this training is not purely theoretical. As noted by Karine, an urban private school specialist, the inclusion of a practicum and direct feedback on video lessons ensures that teachers move beyond the manual and into effective, hands-on practice. This level of standardization is what makes an educator truly "classroom-ready." SLP’s testimonial assessment of the 30-hour requirement is unequivocal:

"Every student teacher should take this 30 hour course. Period."

Sign up Now!

2025-26: evenings, weekends or summer. Tentative dates until 4 weeks prior. Associate Part A ( $1100*) 30+ hours (Anglo-Saxon and OG fundamentals). Formerly known as Classroom Educator *includes 2 Anglo-Saxon phonics/morphology guidebooks and phoneme/grapheme deck plus online resources

03/23/2026

Why the Orton-Gillingham Method is the Missing Link in Modern Literacy Education
The Literacy Gap
The persistent gap in literacy achievement is not merely a "challenge" for educators; it is a systemic failure that demands a specialized, evidence-based response. For too long, traditional instructional methods have left a significant percentage of students struggling to master the foundational mechanics of reading and spelling. This failure is particularly acute for students with dyslexia, but the repercussions are felt across the entire classroom.
To bridge this divide, we must look to the expertise of leaders like Dr. Valdine Bjornson, EdD. As the Founder and CEO of the Reading & Learning Clinic Canada, Dr. Bjornson has established a hub for a necessary pedagogical shift. Her work proves that the Orton-Gillingham (OG) philosophy is not just a niche intervention, but the missing link required to transform literacy outcomes across the country. Join our courses today!

2025-26: evenings, weekends or summer. Tentative dates until 4 weeks prior. Associate Part A ( $1100*) 30+ hours (Anglo-Saxon and OG fundamentals). Formerly known as Classroom Educator *includes 2 Anglo-Saxon phonics/morphology guidebooks and phoneme/grapheme deck plus online resources

03/23/2026

From Struggle to Success: Transforming Phonics into an "Exciting" Experience

There is a persistent myth that structured, systematic phonics is dry or repetitive. The reality, however, is that mastery is the greatest driver of engagement. Feedback from the Tataskweyak Education Authority illustrates that when teachers are equipped with the right tools, the process of teaching reading and spelling becomes "fun and exciting" for both the educator and the student.

This shift in the classroom dynamic is profound. Rather than a site of frustration, the literacy block becomes a space of achievement. At Rotherglen Schools, the impact of Dr. Bjornson’s instruction was described as "energizing, empowering and inspiring the growth mindset in all." When teachers feel capable of reaching every child—whether in an Indigenous education setting or an urban private school—the resulting confidence transforms the entire school culture.

Join our courses now!

2025-26: evenings, weekends or summer. Tentative dates until 4 weeks prior. Associate Part A ( $1100*) 30+ hours (Anglo-Saxon and OG fundamentals). Formerly known as Classroom Educator *includes 2 Anglo-Saxon phonics/morphology guidebooks and phoneme/grapheme deck plus online resources

03/23/2026

Join our courses today! https://www.rlccanada.ca/shop/p/udiv4pe1wswc7obdrctygl5trsqvew

03/22/2026

Watch Dr Björnson’s testimony for the Committees meeting at the Manitoba Legislature to pass Bill 225 for Universal Early Literacy Screener for all schools in Manitoba.

Standing Committee on SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - 254 - October 8, 2025

12/21/2025

Which one? Either way they will get presents. Lol! 🎅🎅🎅🎄🎄🎄