The Barton Reading and Spelling System
Does your child “hate” reading because “it’s too hard”?
Does your child guess at words rather than attempting to sound them out?
Does your child struggle with spelling?
Does your child mix up letter names or sounds?
Does your child print letters or numbers backwards?
Do you have trouble deciphering your child’s writing?
Does your child have a dyslexia or dysgraphia diagnosis?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, Barton is the right program to get started on today.
Who created Barton and why?
The Barton System was created in 1998 by Susan Barton, after learning that her nephew was diagnosed with dyslexia. She was inspired to find a more effective way for him to learn reading, spelling and writing. This is a program born out of love, care, empathy and understanding.
Why should you choose me to teach your child the Barton method?
Barton is my passion. I had the privilege of attending a seminar led by the program creator, Susan Barton, over 20 years ago, when she came to Winnipeg. I immediately fell in love with the system and understood how effective and far-reaching this program could be. Since that time, I have been teaching this method to a wide range of students, seeing results both academically and socially/emotionally. I believe that the growth in confidence is equally as important as the growth in skills. It is my passion to provide a safe space for any student to be themselves, know they are welcomed, intelligent and capable of learning and mastering hard things. No two students learn the same way. The multi-faceted approach of this program targets that. There is nothing I want more than to help your child feel capable, confident, proud of themselves and proud of their work. In the last five years, I have been tasked with training teachers in the Barton method. This has been a huge honor for me. I now get to speak on, and teach others, a method I have been so passionate about and seen success with, in hundreds of students.
What is Barton?
The Barton system is a program of intervention for those with dyslexia and other reading, writing and spelling challenges. It provides explicit, multi-sensory phonics instruction, and is based on the Orton-Gillingham approach of structured literacy. Although it was designed specifically for students with dyslexia, I have used this program to help many students who do not have a formal diagnosis, but who struggle with reading and spelling and are falling behind their grade level. The program is suitable and effective for all students from Grades 1 through 12 to improve reading, spelling and writing.
How does Barton actually work?
Barton is designed for one-on-one instruction. It is a multi-sensory, tactile program where students “dig in” with their hands and minds to connect sounds and words. Students work with blank tiles, letter tiles, hand gestures, sounding out and spelling on their fingers, on a white board and on paper. They are presented with concrete spelling rules to apply. Students are challenged with mental work first. Level One begins with blank tiles, associating sounds only, and building from there. Every student, regardless of age or grade, will begin at Level One. There are 10 levels that students will move through at their own pace. Depending on the frequency of weekly sessions, one level typically takes an average of 3-6 months to master. The following is an overview of what is involved with each level:
Level 1: Phonemic Awareness
Level 2: Short Vowel and Consonant Sounds
Level 3: Open and Closed Syllables
Level 4: Vowel Teams and Dividing Syllables
Level 5: Prefixes and Suffixes
Level 6: Silent/Magic-E
Level 7: Vowel-R Syllables
Level 8: Advanced Vowel Teams
Level 9: Influences of Foreign Languages
Level 10: Greek Words and Latin
In my experience, most students will reach mastery before, or at, Level 6. In my 25 years of teaching, I have never taught past Level 8, and even that was very rare. This is typically a program with a slow start, but as students move through the levels and gain confidence, pace increases. I whole-heartedly believe that every student can experience success and become a better reader. I’ve seen it!
Get In Touch
