There are so many different programs out there for dyslexia, it is hard to know where to start or which one to choose.
In our experience, we were blessed to find the Barton program early on after we received the diagnosis for my son when he was 5. We had a friend who referred us to Rick and Lisa Weaver, who are based out of Colorado Springs and have a vast knowledge base of the Barton Program. Rick and Lisa's business is called Essentials to Success and they are a great resource on dyslexia and the Barton Program. They were monumental in helping us understand and feel supported with dyslexia.
The Barton program was developed by Susan Barton and is a teaching method created for people with dyslexia. It is based on the Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach. One of the main differences between the Barton Program and many of the other OG based programs is that Barton can be administered by people without specific educational training. So what does this mean? Parents can learn the Barton program and teach their children. This can be very beneficial in many situations, especially where funds are limited or tutors are not available.
The Barton program is designed to be multi-sensory. This helps tie in multiple senses for the student to learn the material better. Barton uses magnetic tiles that the child can pull down and use in the program, they write throughout the program and use a lot of sounds and visual cues.
Barton encourages 1:1 for best success, but can be administered in a group of up to 3 students. The minimum time to invest in the program is at least two hours a week (most sessions are one hour in length). We started the program for the first couple of years at two, one-hour sessions, but found progress was slower and it was taking a lot longer to complete levels. We recently increased to 3x/week for my daughter and we are seeing better progress.
Barton has 10 levels in the program. All students, despite age or grade, start at level one. Students are assessed at the end of each level to make sure they have mastered the level. If they have not, they will stay in the level until they do. It can take between 2-4 years to complete all 10 levels. We are definitely on the slower end of completing the program as it is taking us around 6 months or longer for each level.
The cost of each level (if you choose to do the program yourself) runs between $300-350. This includes everything you need for the level. It can be viewed as expensive, but I have found a high re-sell rate of the levels, so you can usually re-sell and recoup some of your cost.
The cost of tutoring sessions can vary, but in Colorado Springs is around $50-75/hour for a Barton tutor. This cost can ad up quickly, especially if you have more than one student with dyslexia (like we did).
Overall, the Barton Program is a great choice for many students with dyslexia. It has helped our two kids and they progressed consistently using the program. The pros are easy accessibility and the ability to do it yourself. The cons may be lack of training/expertise of the tutor. However, it is proven to have great results if administered well. It is truly a great option to consider.
If you have done the Barton program, please comment as I would love to hear your experience with it.
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