Dyslexia Support

The Barton Reading & Spelling System

A Specialised Literacy Program for Students with Dyslexia

Does your child struggle with reading, spelling, writing, or decoding words? Have they been diagnosed with Dyslexia —or do you suspect they may be showing signs of Dyslexia?

We offer the Susan M. Barton, Barton Reading & Spelling System, as a specialised program option for Australian homeschooling families. The Barton System is a complete tutoring program, developed specifically for students with Dyslexia. Based on the proven Orton-Gillingham Approach approach, Barton is a multi-sensory, direct, explicit, structured, and sequential intervention program that is research and evidence based. Designed for children of any age, Barton helps learners who struggle to accurately decode words, read fluently, and spell confidently—even after being taught phonics.

 

 

What is the Barton System?

The Barton Reading & Spelling System is a structured literacy program designed for a tutor to work:

• one-on-one with a student, or
• with a small group of up to three students.

The program consists of ten levels, with each level made up of multiple lessons that systematically build literacy skills. Upon completing all ten levels, your child would reach a Year 8-9 reading level, which is above the average adult reading level today.  Many children test even higher than this after finishing the program.

Barton focuses on the foundational skills essential for reading and spelling success:

• Phonemic Awareness
• Phonics
• Decoding
• Reading Fluency
• Spelling Confidence

Each level includes:

• comprehensive lesson notes
• tutor training videos
• multi-sensory manipulatives and tiles
• step-by-step instruction for the tutor

Parents do not need formal teaching qualifications to use Barton—full tutor training is included with each level, making it ideal for homeschooling families who wish to support their child at home.

Please note: Training does require some time to go through (approx. 3hrs per level), so consider this when weighing up whether this option is needed for your family. 

Commitment & Timeframes

Each level comes with Tutor Training, which takes approx, 3hrs and needs to be completed prior to going through the level's lessons with your child. Each level takes approx. 10-12 weeks to complete, when tutoring one-on-one for one (1) hour each sessions, twice a week. The following gives an estimate of how long it will take to complete the entire program:

Mild Dyslexia: 18-36 months
Moderate Dyslexia: 36-48 months
Profound Dyslexia: 48-60 months
ADHD considerations or significant attention issues will affect this timeline.

For faster progress, if tutoring occurs more often:

• 1 hour each session x3 per week (one third less)
• 1 hour each session x4 per week (half less time)

Who is Barton For?

Barton was designed specifically for children who have, or are suspected of having Dyslexia .

It may be suitable for children who:

• read slowly, inaccurately, or with poor fluency
• struggle to sound out unfamiliar words
• find spelling particularly difficult
• reverse letters or numbers beyond early primary years
• have a noticeable gap between verbal ability and written work
• have a family history of Dyslexia

If your child shows several of these signs, Barton may be a helpful option to explore.

Please note: Barton is not designed for children with receptive or expressive language disorders, and it is not an ESL program. Students should be able to speak and understand English at approximately a Year 2 level or above. If an ESL program is needed to learn English, please contact our team to ask about different options. 

Why Homeschooling Families Love Barton

The Barton System is particularly well suited to homeschooling, because it empowers parents to become their child’s tutor in a structured, supported way.

Families appreciate that Barton is:

• easy to implement at home
• highly structured and sequential
• engaging and multi-sensory
• designed specifically for students with Dyslexia
• supported by comprehensive training and resources

For many families, Barton provides not just literacy intervention—but renewed confidence, encouragement, and hope.

Want to Learn More?

You can learn more about the Barton System, watch demonstrations, and explore additional information for homeschoolers.

Or contact Our Support Services Team to discuss whether Barton would be a good fit for your family.

Available for Australian families only.