Barton Reading & Spelling System
A 10-level, Orton-Gillingham-influenced tutoring system for students with dyslexia, designed so parents and volunteer tutors with no teaching background can teach it one-on-one with scripted lessons and training videos.
What is the Barton Reading & Spelling System?
The Barton Reading & Spelling System is a one-on-one tutoring program for students with dyslexia, created by Susan Barton and published by Bright Solutions for Dyslexia. It is structured, sequential and multisensory, in the Orton-Gillingham tradition.
The core idea is that a parent or volunteer, not only a specialist, can tutor a dyslexic student well. Barton gives the tutor training videos and scripted lessons, so you learn each level just before you teach it.
How it works
You buy one level at a time. For each level, the tutor watches about 6 hours of training video, then teaches the lessons to the student over several months. Lessons use color-coded letter tiles, or the Barton Tiles app on an iPad or Android tablet.
A typical week looks like this:
- Two or more one-hour sessions, one-on-one
- Tile work to build and change words
- Reading and spelling practice with immediate error correction
- A short story at the end of each lesson
Barton is firm on intensity. It says once a week is not enough, so don't start unless you can tutor at least twice a week.
What it covers
| Levels | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Phonemic awareness, consonants and short vowels |
| 3–4 | Closed syllables, syllable division, vowel teams |
| 5–6 | Prefixes, suffixes and silent-e |
| 7–8 | Vowel-r syllables and advanced vowel teams |
| 9–10 | Foreign-language influences and Greek and Latin roots |
Level numbers do not match grades. Students who finish all ten levels read, spell and write at about a mid-ninth-grade level, according to Barton.
Who it's best for
Barton fits families who want to tutor a dyslexic child themselves and can commit to frequent sessions for years. It works for elementary kids, teens and adults, as long as the student passes the 10-minute Student Screening. Many homeschool families use it as their core reading and spelling program.
Look elsewhere if you can only manage one session a week, or if the tutor does not pass the Tutor Screening. In that case, hiring a trained tutor, such as a certified Wilson Reading instructor or a Barton tutor, may work better.
Pricing at a glance
As of October 2026, the Single Tutor Version costs $350 each for Levels 1–2 and $400 each for Levels 3–10. Barton estimates a level takes 3 to 5 months from Level 3 on, which works out to under $100 a month. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Can a scholarship or ESA pay for it?
Often it may. Florida's Unique Abilities scholarship lists curriculum, therapists and specialists for eligible students, and Arizona's ESA allows curricula and tutoring. Each program decides what qualifies, so check our scholarships overview for your state. Save Barton to your wishlist and apply once on Edulist.
How it compares
- Wilson Reading is intensive OG instruction delivered by certified instructors.
- All About Reading is lighter, parent-friendly and often used for milder needs.
- Nessy is game-based practice that can supplement Barton between sessions.
- Reading Horizons is OG-based software that needs less tutor time.
Find more options on our dyslexia reading programs page and our list of the best homeschool curriculum for dyslexia.
Who Barton Reading & Spelling System is for (and who it isn’t)
Best for
- Parents who want to tutor a child with dyslexia themselves
- Students of any age who need to restart from phonemic awareness
- Homeschool families with time for one-on-one lessons
- Volunteer and private tutors new to dyslexia instruction
Look elsewhere if
- Families who can only do one session a week
- Tutors who struggle to hear speech sounds (the Tutor Screening checks this)
- Children with mild reading delays who need less intensity
Barton Reading & Spelling System pros and cons
Pros
- Built for parents with no teaching degree
- Detailed video training and scripted lessons
- Clear 10-level path to about a mid-ninth-grade level
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Free screenings before you buy
Cons
- High total cost across all levels
- Takes 2–3 years for moderate dyslexia, longer for severe
- Requires at least two one-hour sessions a week
- Most students must start at Level 1, regardless of age
What’s included
- 10 levels taught in a fixed sequence, from phonemic awareness to Greek and Latin roots
- Tutor training videos (about 6 hours per level) plus scripted lessons
- Color-coded letter tiles, or the Barton Tiles app for iPad and Android tablets
- Short stories at the end of every lesson; stand-alone readers sold separately
- Free 5-minute Tutor Screening and 10-minute Student Screening
- Free online games, fluency drills and tutor support site
Barton Reading & Spelling System levels
| Level | Grades | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1: Phonemic Awareness | By skill | The seven essential phonemic awareness skills, practiced with nonsense words and rhyming. |
| Level 2: Consonants & Short Vowels | By skill | Consonants, short vowels and digraphs such as sh, th, ch, wh and ck. |
| Level 3: Closed and Unit Syllables | By skill | Blends, spelling rules like Floss and Kiss the Cat, contractions and unit syllables. |
| Level 4: Syllable Division & Vowel Teams | By skill | Open syllables, syllable division rules, schwa, three-syllable words and vowel teams. |
| Level 5: Prefixes and Suffixes | By skill | Plurals, suffixes, the doubling and change rules, tion versus sion and common prefixes. |
| Level 6: Six Reasons for Silent-E | By skill | Silent-e patterns, consonant-le syllables, able versus ible and related spelling rules. |
| Level 7: Vowel-R Syllables | By skill | ar, or, er, ir and ur, vowel-r with silent-e and related spelling rules. |
| Level 8: Advanced Vowel Teams | By skill | Less common vowel teams and their spelling patterns. |
| Level 9: Influence of Foreign Languages | By skill | Spelling patterns from other languages; best taught once vocabulary is strong enough. |
| Level 10: Greek Words & Latin Roots | By skill | Greek and Latin roots for reading and spelling the advanced words found in high school and college. |
Tutors take a free 5-minute Tutor Screening and students take a free 10-minute Student Screening. Most students start at Level 1; students with recent intensive Orton-Gillingham tutoring can request post-tests to find a later starting level.
Official Barton Reading & Spelling System placement test ↗How much does Barton Reading & Spelling System cost?
Barton is a one-time purchase, one level at a time. The Single Tutor Version costs $350 for Levels 1 and 2 and $400 each for Levels 3 through 10, or $25 less per level without the storage box. All-digital versions are also sold. Buying all ten levels costs $3,900 with boxes. Barton notes that because a level often takes 3 to 5 months at two sessions a week, the cost works out to under $100 a month.
| Plan | Price | Billed | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 or 2, Single Tutor Version | $350 | One-time | — |
| Level 3–10, Single Tutor Version (each) | $400 | One-time | — |
| Level 1, Single Tutor Version (no box) | $325 | One-time | — |
Free trial: No trial, but the Tutor Screening and Student Screening are free, and there is a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Prices from the provider, checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site.
Future opening updates
Applications are not open on Edulist. Saving a product does not subscribe you or establish eligibility. Visit your wishlist to opt in for updates.
View wishlistBarton Reading & Spelling System family reviews
Be the first to review
Loading…
Barton Reading & Spelling System FAQs
How much does the Barton Reading and Spelling System cost?
As of October 2026, the Single Tutor Version is $350 for Levels 1 and 2 and $400 for each of Levels 3–10, or $25 less per level without the box. You buy one level at a time, so the cost is spread over several years.
Can a parent teach Barton?
Yes. Barton is designed for parents, grandparents and volunteers with no teaching degree. The tutor must pass a free 5-minute Tutor Screening that checks the ability to hear speech sounds clearly.
How long does Barton take?
Barton estimates 2–3 years for a student with moderate dyslexia tutored one-on-one twice a week for an hour. Mild cases may go faster and severe cases may take 4–5 years. More sessions per week speed things up.
Does every student start at Level 1?
Most do, no matter their age, because Level 1 builds phonemic awareness. If Level 1 is too easy, Barton exchanges it for Level 2 free, and students with recent intensive Orton-Gillingham tutoring can request post-tests.
Is Barton Orton-Gillingham?
Barton is a structured, multisensory program that its publisher describes in the context of Orton-Gillingham-based tutoring. It is designed specifically for students with dyslexia.
Does Barton offer a refund?
Barton lists a 30-day money-back guarantee on its store. Extra tile sets are sold only for levels you bought directly from Barton.
Can an ESA or scholarship pay for Barton?
Programs for students with disabilities, such as Florida's Unique Abilities scholarship, often allow curriculum and tutoring, but each program decides. Save Barton to your Edulist wishlist and apply once to programs in your state.
Sources and last checked
Checked 2026-10-13 against these sources: