Early Detection Is Key

Time For A Grin

5 Reasons House-Building Should Be a Part of High School Curriculum
by Annie Holmquist

Not everyone will choose to pursue a college education. Introducing students to alternative career paths could provide them with direction and a sense of purpose in life.

Furthermore, valuable practical skills such as woodworking and welding are becoming increasingly scarce in today's society. Students who acquire proficiency in these trades gain a distinct advantage, fostering self-reliance and independence compared to their counterparts who may lack such abilities.

To see the rest of this excellent article, click here.

Proud Mommy Moment
by Susan Barton

Susan Barton loves getting emails from excited parents, like this one:

My 8 year old was diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia right before he turned 7. He struggled with reading every day.

One day he came home and began to sob. He told me sometimes he gets mad at God for giving him a stupid brain. He said, “I know the right answer in my brain, but the wrong word comes out of my mouth.”

As a teacher, that was hard to hear. As a mom, it was devastating. I had no clue how to help him.

That night, after I dropped him off at karate, I drove straight to a tutoring clinic that specializes in dyslexia. (They use the Barton Reading & Spelling System.) I walked in and proceeded to cry like a fool. The tutor said, “It’s OK. We will help him.”

Fast forward 15 months. My son is reading above grade level, he LOVES to read, and his test scores are out of this world.

I am so proud of him. He is the most dedicated kid I have ever seen. He never complains about tutoring twice a week (even in the summer), and he works hard for the entire 60 minute session.

My son is my HERO. I’m not sure I could have overcome the obstacles of dyslexia. His dedication and determination AMAZES me.

Frankie Humble, parent
Youngsville, LA

To listen to this, or to share it, click here.

Our popular Stand Alone Books are now available digitally.

Once students in the Barton System realize they can read accurately and fluently, they want to start reading books.

This usually happens near the end of Level 3. But at that point, they only know two syllable types, Closed and Unit, plus contractions.

Reading research clearly shows that emerging readers will improve their fluency (speed) only if they read books that contain controlled text. In other words, books in which at least 95% of the words can be sounded out using the rules the student already knows.

Unfortunately, most books on the library shelf – even those aimed at young readers - contain all seven types of syllables. So if you hand a student one of those books to read, the student will have to revert back to guessing, which is the very habit you are trying to break.

That’s why we hired authors to write Stand-Alone Books. Each of these 32-page books contains one long story, divided into chapters, written using Controlled Text plus the Sight Words taught in the Barton System.

These books provide Barton students with ample decoding practice, plus the satisfaction of reading a good book from cover to cover – independently – perhaps for the first time in their life.

Currently, we offer 27 titles – 12 Stand-Alone Books that students can read at the end of Level 3, 10 for students at the end of Level 4, and 5 for students at the end of Level 5.

Each book was written to be enjoyed by both children and adults.

If your child has an IEP or a 504 Plan...

You should meet with their teacher BEFORE the school year begins.

Watch this 8-minute video by Susan Barton to learn how to get the teacher to agree to meet with you – and what to go over at that meeting so the new school year will get off to a great start.

If you want the handout, click here.

Follow Susan Barton on

Susan Barton Dyslexia Stories