Susan Barton loves hearing stories about the impact Barton tutoring has had on students, as this Certified Barton Tutor shared:

Dear Susan,

I’ve been meaning to write to you for some time. I have been using the Barton Reading & Spelling System for many years and I have helped many students who struggle with dyslexia.

Because of your incredible program, I can proudly say that each one of my students has a success story. There is one story that has especially touched me, and I have permission to share it. I have tears in my eyes while writing this.

Please meet my former student, Amanda.

When I started tutoring Amanda using the Barton System, she was in fifth grade but reading at only a first-grade level. The school’s recommendation was special education. Thankfully, her parents heard about your amazing program and contacted me.

Amanda worked incredibly hard to complete all ten levels. She is now a freshman at Boise State University, where she continues to thrive academically.  As you might imagine, Amanda’s parents could not be prouder.

I’ve always had such a deep love of reading and helping struggling students. This is my true calling, and I consider myself fortunate to have the opportunity to help many students like Amanda.

So here’s my heartfelt thank you for creating a remarkable program, and for your dedication to making a positive impact in the lives of people with dyslexia. Without your vision and support, I would not possess the knowledge to make such a difference in the lives of others.

Every child has a right to learn to read.

With much gratitude,

Kim Vandiver
Certified Barton Tutor at the Masters level
Pleasanton, CA

Susan Barton loves hearing how Barton tutoring has changed a child’s life – as this grandmother shared:

Dear Susan,

Throughout my 44-year career as a teacher and a tutor, I have used several different programs to teach reading to children with varying degrees of dyslexia.

The Barton Reading & Spelling System is by far the best. If a tutor does the Barton System with fidelity, their students will learn to both read and spell. Simply put, your program is genius.

While using the Barton System to tutor my grandson, who has severe dyslexia, as well as many other children, I have grown to deeply appreciate everything you do to support the dyslexic community.

Watching my grandson grow in joy and confidence – not just in reading and spelling, but also in his outlook on life – has been one of the greatest personal achievements of my teaching career.

Thank you for creating such a brilliant program and for dedicating your life to helping us help our own children.

With gratitude,

Mary Cresalia, Certified Barton Tutor
San Rafael, CA

Susan Barton loves hearing from homeschool parents, like this one:

Dear Mrs. Barton:

I’m not sure how I found your website five years ago, but it has been a tremendous blessing for our family.

Thanks to the knowledge and recommendations I gleaned from your website, I was able to have my middle son diagnosed with dyslexia in first grade.

For the next four years, we homeschooled using the Barton Reading & Spelling System, and in fifth grade, we incorporated The Institute for Excellence in Writing.

Jonah is currently in sixth grade, and we have transitioned to a small Catholic classical school.

He is now near the top of his class in every subject and beginning next week, he will move out of the small group for struggling readers and into the regular literature classroom.

We wouldn’t be where we are today if it were not for you and your program. Thank you!

Brittney Brost, Parent
Kansas City, MO

Susan Barton loves getting letters from parents, like this one:

Dear Susan:

When our son was in the 6th grade, he was only reading and spelling at a 1st grade level. His teachers, school, and district failed to provide him with the appropriate services and even discouraged us from seeking outside intervention.

We knew we had to do something to help our son. I spent many hours researching programs when I discovered the Barton Reading & Spelling System.

With your help, we found an amazing Certified Barton Tutor, Gretchen Stevens. Thanks to Ms. Stevens, our son is thriving — and reading and spelling at grade level!

Nathaniel recently graduated from high school with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 and an impressive senior year GPA of 4.0.

This fall, he will attend a local trade school to study Machine Tool Technology. He hopes to one day become a skilled Machinist.

We are extremely proud of Nathaniel. He is a great example of how hard work, dedication, a lot of encouragement, and the right type of tutoring can positively change a child’s life.

Thank you for creating the Barton System and for everything you do to support families like ours.

Ken Mengel, Parent and Certified Barton Tutor
Hendersonville, TN

Susan Barton loves hearing from tutors about the impact the Barton System has had on their students, as this tutor shared:

I am writing to tell you about a special student, who just completed level 10. Bill was 52 years old when he came to us, ready to do whatever it takes to learn to read.

My most memorable tutoring moment came when Bill was reading a story. He stopped in the middle of a sentence and said, “I just read a three syllable word! I have never read a three syllable word before.” It was a tearful moment, and it continues to be upon each retelling.

When my service as an AmeriCorps volunteer ended, I went to work for the Adult Learning Alliance, at the state level. Thankfully, Ms. Audrey, an experienced Barton tutor, was able to take over tutoring Bill in Level 5.

In Level 8, Bill remarked to Ms. Audrey, “I was sitting at home, staring at the shelf. I suddenly realized that I was reading an award I received years ago. I have never been able to read what it says.” Needless to say, Ms. Audrey was delighted.

Last week was a tearful week for us. Bill and Ms. Audrey announced that they had completed their very last lesson. Our office will feel so very empty without their constancy. What a wonderful way for Ms. Audrey to end her almost 25 years of tutoring. She is finally retiring.

We are so proud of Bill’s tenacity and dedication to learn to read, especially after leaving school so many years ago.

And we want to thank you for creating the Barton System. I have seen, time and again, the difference it makes for students who go through your program.

Heather Powell, Barton Tutor and Executive Director
Twin Lakes Literacy Council
Mtn. Home, AR

Susan Barton loves hearing from parents about the impact Barton tutoring has had on their child, as this parent shared:

This is my daughter — today.

Three years ago, her confidence was basically nothing. She didn’t feel comfortable getting up in front of others, and her reading and writing were just terrible.

We started her on the Barton System in the summer of 2020.

Her confidence has improved so much that she decided to try out for theatre last year – even though that meant reading lines in front of others.

This winter, she was cast as Annie at a theatre near us. I wanted to share this  photo because it almost speaks of her journey. She went from lost, defeated, and discouraged to determined, hopeful, and thriving.

Thank you for making this curriculum.  It has helped my daughter find her wings.

Theresa Wegner, parent
Rochester, MI

Susan Barton loves hearing from parents about the impact Barton tutoring has had on their child, as this parent shared:

When my daughter began second grade, she was only reading at mid-kindergarten level. So I had her tested. Clara was diagnosed as severely dyslexic.

I immediately hired a Barton tutor to work with Clara twice a week after school.

Clara’s reading was retested at the end of January. She is now reading above grade level.

She has gone from missing every single  word on weekly spelling tests to only missing one or two.

Her progress has me in tears.

Her Barton tutoring is worth every single penny.

Here’s our story:

When my daughter, Clara, was ready to start kindergarten in August 2020, our local schools were closed due to COVID.  So I decided to homeschool her and her older brother.

We loved homeschooling, and her brother thrived. But Clara did not. I tried a variety of reading curriculum, but nothing worked. I could not teach her to read. I felt defeated, Clara was frustrated, and it put a real strain on our relationship.

So this year, I enrolled Clara in a private school.

During the enrollment process, the administrator expressed concern that Clara would not be successful at their school. But after some discussion, she allowed both my children to enroll. Clara was almost 8, so she was put into second grade.

Very quickly, her second grade teacher said Clara should be switched to first grade – because Clara’s STAR reading test showed she was reading at only 0.8  – which means the eighth month of kindergarten.

Luckily, this school has a private Barton tutor who recommended I watch the Bright Solutions videos on dyslexia.  It was mind blowing how Clara fit almost every single symptom in those videos.

I then had Clara tested. The results were hard to take. Clara’s dyslexia was severe. Yet after we explained to Clara what dyslexia was, I saw her relax a little bit.

Yet I began to worry about her future, about how much she would struggle in school, and whether she would be successful as an adult.

Clara started Barton tutoring two times a week, after school, for an hour. Those tutoring days are very long. And we pay for her tutoring on top of the private school tuition.

But it is worth every penny.

After a few weeks of tutoring, I noticed Clara was reading some words when we were out and about, and reading some things at home. Over time, I saw her confidence grow.

At the end of January, when she took another STAR reading test, Clara was at third grade reading level, 3.2.  She had improved that much after just a few months of Barton tutoring.

The best part is how proud of Clara is.  She tells everyone about her reading level.

She’s also doing much better in class. She went from missing every single spelling word on the weekly test to only missing one or two.

So now I don’t worry very much about her future. I will make sure Clara continues Barton tutoring until she has finished the program.

I encourage other parents who have a child who struggles with reading, writing, or spelling to watch the videos on the Bright Solutions website. Watching them was eye-opening and the first step in my daughter’s growth.

Courtney Eastepp, parent
Vacaville, CA

Susan Barton loves hearing from parents about the impact Barton tutoring has had on their child, as this parent shared:

Dear Susan,
I could share this with a friend, but it would not mean as much to someone who does not have a dyslexic child.

My son is 13. He is dyslexic, and we used your program 4 times a week. When we started, he could not read at all. Not “cat,” not “at,” not “me.”
He could not rhyme or decode sounds.

He’s had three big milestones in the last month.

Milestone 1:
This year, for the first time, he tested in the normal range for reading at school.

Milestone 2:
I still read to him nearly every night because it’s our thing. And I’m going to keep it up until he tells me he’s done.

Last week, he was annoyed at the place I stopped. So he picked up the book and continued reading it to me out loud. Usually, he picks books to read that are well below his grade level. But this one is rated for grades 6-8, and he handled it with little trouble.

Milestone 3:
He had friends over today and they were playing a board game. He thought one of his friends was making up the rules, so he pulled out the rules and read them out loud to the group. HE READ SOMETHING OUT LOUD TO A GROUP. ON PURPOSE. And he understood what he was reading!

I have been concerned about him moving on to high school in a year and a half and having to read for comprehension.

But I’m not worried anymore.

Jennifer Streetman, parent
Grand Junction, CO

Susan Barton loves hearing from homeschool parents who have completed the Barton System — and the difference that has made in their child’s skills. 

My daughter struggled learning to read. Most days in Kayla’s early elementary years involved tears over writing and reading. By the end of third grade, she was clearly falling well behind her peers. Yet she tried to hide her inability to read.

In our attempt to find answers to her struggle, we discovered that dyslexia was the root of her issue. After much research on program options, we were convinced that the Barton Reading & Spelling System was what she needed.

We were blessed to find a Barton tutor in our area. She was amazing! Within the first couple months of using the program, my daughter, who used to cry at the thought of reading a simple paragraph, would be curled up with her nose in a book for hours. She suddenly loved to read and a whole new world was opened to her.

Proficiency in reading came quicker than in writing. In sixth grade, she still could not write a cohesive paragraph. So her tutor worked with her through seventh grade until Kayla far exceeded her grade level.

Kayla’s experience with the Barton System really changed her path in life. Previously she’d had no thoughts of college. But with her boost in confidence, she decided she would like to try it. I can’t tell you how thrilled we both were, when prior to eleventh grade, she passed an English placement test and was accepted at the college of her choice. She even passed the College Composition CLEP test!

Kayla completed a number of dual enrollment classes her junior and senior years of high school and even graduated a year early.

She graduated college with an associate degree at age 18! She was on the Dean’s list every semester and graduated with high honors. She excelled as an intern in her field of study, where she is now happily working full time. She is confident and loving it.

We are so grateful to have discovered the Barton System. Thank you so much!

Lisa Wadel, parent
Marion, PA