The Barton Reading and Spelling System is an intensive reading intervention developed for students struggling with reading. It is influenced by the work of Dr. Orton and Anna Gillingham and teaches phonemic awareness and phonics through scripted lesson plans. Students meet in small groups for 45 minutes to an hour daily to practice reading words, phrases, and decodable text. Studies in Benton County, Florida, and Alaska found significant improvements in students' decoding, reading comprehension, and fluency after using the Barton System for 6 months to 2 years.
2. Barton Reading and Spelling
System
Influenced by Dr. Orton and Anna
Gillingham
A unique method and sequence to
improve reading skills of children and adults
with dyslexia
Intensive reading intervention designed
for students who struggle with reading
Students are taught phonemic awareness
and phonics
3. The Barton Reading and
Spelling System (Cont.)
Scripted lesson plans guide students in the
mastery of the language continuum
Increases fluidity and flexibility between
listening, speaking and writing
Skills build on each other so no essential
skill is missed
4. Implementation
Students meet in small groups (1:4
teacher/student ratio) 45 minutes to 1 hour
each day
Lessons can not be taught unless all students
are present
Lessons consist of phonemic awareness,
practice reading words and phrases, and
decodable text
Work on fluency, vocabulary and
comprehension
5. Benton County
Benton county has implemented early
intervention program in all 4 elementary
schools
Screened kindergarten and first graders to
identify students at risk
The Barton Reading and Spelling System
was used for high risk students in the “Tier
3” category
7. Florida Independent Study
Involved 2 different Speech-Language
clinics
Significant improvement seen after 40
weeks of 1 on 1 Barton tutoring
More than 2 years of decoding and
reading comprehension
More than 1.5 years of fluency
9. Alaska Independent Study
45 students, grade 2-11, were given GORT
4 pretest for “before” scores
Students given 2 to 3 hours of one on one
Barton tutoring per week
Students showed 2 years of gain in just 6
months
11. The Barton Reading and
Spelling System
A unique researched based reading
intervention
Successfully teaches phonemic
awareness, phonics, fluency and
comprehension
Proven study that would help many
children across the country
12. Works Cited
Lewis, E., & Bowers, C. (2003). Research supports
phonological gains with intervention. Barton
Reading & Spelling System.
Retrieved from
http://www.bartonreading.com/AlaskaData.pdf
Benton, AR Intensive reading intervention report.
(n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.BartonReading.com/AR-RTIStudy.pdf
Significant gains demonstrated in reading realized
after utilizing the Barton Reading and Spelling
Program. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.dys-
add.com/FloridaCampbellStudy.pdf
