Barton Classroom

Barton System FAQ-General

Question: How long will it take my student to get through the Barton Program?

Answer: Since no two people in the Barton Program learn at exactly the same pace, we can only provide a range.

If a student has classic, or moderate, dyslexia, and is tutored twice a week in a one-on-one setting for an hour each time, it will take from 2 to 3 years to complete the entire Barton System. So in just 2 to 3 years, you can take a struggling student to the mid-ninth-grade level in reading, spelling, and basic writing.

Students with mild dyslexia will complete the system sooner, while students with severe dyslexia may need more time.

The only way a student can make faster progress is to be tutored more often. If a child can be tutored 3 or 4 times a week, they’ll complete the Barton System much faster.

Question: I know you say that we should not do the K12 Spelling, while doing the Barton Program, but I really would like to expose the spelling words to my third grader. I don’t test him or hold him accountable to know the words, but I still have him do some of the activities because I am afraid he will be missing out on grade level material if he skips them. Is this ok?

Answer: First, I want to say that I appreciate your desire to do what is best for your student, but in this case it is not best to expose your son to the 3^rd grade spelling list for the sake of not falling behind. This could actually add some confusion, slow the process while he works through the Barton Program, and frustrate your student. Remember the traditional methods of teaching spelling will NOT work for a dyslexic student because students lack phonemic awareness, have difficulty with long term memory, and they have a poor visual memory for words. These students cannot learn to spell intuitively by being exposed to words or by memorizing 20 words a week. On the other hand, my son who is not dyslexic, reads all of the time, and as a result is a great speller. My dyslexic daughter reads all the time, but can only spell the words she has learned in Barton.

The Barton Program is based on the Orton-Gillingham methods that are scientifically proven to help kids learn to read and spell. It teaches spelling in a very logical sequence with rules that they can remember. It provides them with opportunities for success. You don’t need to worry about them falling behind, because the spelling they will learn in the Barton Program, will provide them with the tools they need to be successful.

Time is very valuable for our Barton kids and we want to make sure that you use it in areas that will provide the most return, so I highly recommend that you don’t do any portion of the K12 Spelling, unless, you would like to go over the words for the sake of learning vocabulary.   

Question: How can I access the games mentioned in Level 3 of the Barton Program?

Answer:  You need to go to Susan Barton's tutor support web-site at http://www.bartonreading.com/support.html and type in the username and password. If you don’t know them, feel free to email me at lweaver@covcs.org or send me a KMAIL. Then click on the Level that you are interested in and scroll down to “GAMES”.