How One Ohio District Is Boosting Literacy for English Learners Post-Pandemic

Elementary school can be a challenging time for any child, but for students learning English alongside their peers, the hurdles are even greater. In Troy City Schools, a district north of Cincinnati, educators have taken bold steps to help these multilingual learners thrive. By adopting a multisensory teaching method and investing in extensive staff training, they are closing literacy gaps that widened during the pandemic. Here's how they turned the tide.

What Makes Learning English in Elementary School Especially Difficult?

Imagine navigating playground dynamics, mastering multiplication tables, and learning to read—all while grappling with a new language or even adjusting to a new country. For English learners, this is their daily reality. They must simultaneously acquire academic content and language skills, often without the same foundational support as native speakers. In Troy City Schools, roughly 3 percent of students speak Spanish, Ukrainian, Japanese, or other languages as their first language. These students face extra cognitive load and emotional stress, which can lead to frustration and withdrawal. As Sarah Walters, a literacy specialist, notes, the social-emotional impact is significant—students may feel overwhelmed and want to give up. This dual challenge requires targeted strategies that address both literacy and emotional well-being.

What Specific Literacy Gaps Did the Pandemic Create for English Learners?

Federal data shows that English learners have long trailed their peers in achievement, with little improvement over the past two decades. The pandemic worsened these gaps, particularly in phonics—the understanding of letter sounds that form words. At Concord Elementary in Troy City, teachers observed students becoming withdrawn and frustrated, struggling to decode words. Before the pandemic, English-language instruction was inconsistent across classrooms, leaving students with fragmented support. The district recognized that without a systematic approach, these students would fall further behind. Post-COVID, the urgency to address these phonics gaps and rebuild foundational reading skills became a top priority.

What Is the Orton-Gillingham Approach and How Does It Help?

The Orton-Gillingham method is a structured, multisensory approach to teaching reading. It integrates movement, touch, sight, and sound to help students connect letters and sounds. For example, students might trace letters in sand while saying the sound aloud, reinforcing learning through multiple senses. This method is especially effective for English learners because it provides explicit, sequential instruction that builds phonetic awareness step by step. It also supports students with dyslexia or other learning differences. In Troy City, the district trained 116 staff members—including every elementary teacher, intervention specialist, paraprofessional, and principal—in this approach, aiming to create consistency across all classrooms.

How Did Troy City Schools Implement This Training Program?

Implementation wasn't instant. The district spent three years after the pandemic researching and planning before rolling out the program, according to Danielle Romine, director of elementary teaching and learning. Sarah Walters became certified in Orton-Gillingham through the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education, then took on the role of training and supporting fellow teachers. The effort required significant funding, which came from post-COVID relief grants and budget allocations from district leaders. By ensuring every elementary staff member was trained, the district created a unified approach to literacy instruction, replacing the fragmented methods that existed before. This systematic roll-out helped build confidence among teachers and ensured fidelity to the method.

What Impact Has the Program Had on English Learners So Far?

While detailed data isn't provided in the original text, the district reports that the investment is paying off. Teachers have noticed reduced student frustration and increased engagement. By focusing on phonics and multisensory learning, students are building a stronger foundation in reading, which Walters emphasizes is critical for future learning in all subjects. The goal is equitable learning opportunities—ensuring English learners can thrive just like their peers. Although challenges remain, the structured approach has already helped shift the culture from inconsistency to coherence, giving students the tools they need to succeed.

Why Is This Approach Considered a Step Toward Equity?

Equity means more than equal resources; it means providing targeted support to meet diverse needs. English learners often face systemic disadvantages in traditional instruction that assumes fluency. By adopting Orton-Gillingham, Troy City Schools acknowledges that these students require explicit, multisensory teaching to master English literacy. The training of all staff—not just ESL specialists—ensures that every educator can support multilingual learners. Walters sums it up: “We want to help the students continue to thrive, and really everything that we're thinking about with our student services is equitable learning opportunities.” This program moves beyond a one-size-fits-all model, addressing the unique challenges that English learners face post-pandemic.