Category Archives: Parents

Summer Tutoring Works

Don’t waste the summer. Instead, tutor every day and your student will make amazing progress, as this parent shared:

When our son finished second grade, the school evaluated his reading level. It was 1.9, which meant he was a full year behind.

After only 2 months of tutoring him myself over the summer every day, using the Barton Reading & Spelling System, he has improved greatly. The school tested him at the beginning of this year, third grade, and his reading is now 3.2 to 5.0.


His self-confidence is so much better than it was a year ago. He will even read out loud in Sunday school in front of his friends.

Recently, there was a story about a dyslexic boy in their lesson. Our son raised his hand and shared that he has dyslexia, too. Jonah explained that he was born with it, and that he can read just as well as any of them, it just sometimes takes him a little longer.

Bless you for what you have done for our son.

Eileen Carter
Gainesville, FL

Brian Has Been Completely Remediated

This is why Susan Barton warns parents that if their child needs testing to prove dyslexia, do not wait until they have finished the Barton System. 

I wanted to share some exciting news about my son, Brian, who is now 16.

He was diagnosed with severe dyslexia when he was 10.

He needed an updated educational evaluation for accommodations on the college entrance exams. He was evaluated by Dr. Varia, Ph.D. from Mindwell Psychology. She has a strong specialty in dyslexia.

After Dr. Varia tested him, she told me that she would not have known Brian has dyslexia had I not told her prior to the exam. Her testing did not pick it up. She said Brian has been completely remediated. I was stunned!

I knew your program was the best, but I had no idea that it could improve Brian’s reading and spelling skills to the point that his dyslexia became undetectable.

So from the bottom of our hearts, thank you so very much!

Amy Summers, parent
and Certified Barton Tutor at the Advanced Level
Oakton, VA

What A Great Teacher

Susan Barton loves hearing about great teachers who go above and beyond, like this one:

Despite paying tuition to send my daughter Ashten to a small school so she could get more one-on-one time, she still struggled.

When she was diagnosed with dyslexia, the school shared they had no idea how to deal with it. But her wonderful Title 1 teacher was willing to learn.

She started researching dyslexia, went to meetings and conferences, eventually became certified in the Barton System, and she has been one of my daughter’s biggest cheerleaders. She has even given up her own summer vacations in order to tutor Ashten year round for 2 1/2 years.

Ashten is now in 6th grade and was asked to read the morning announcements in front of her entire school. She asked a girl in 7th grade to go up with her in case she needed help with some of the words. Ashten was so excited when she shared she was able to read it all with no help. This momma was a crying mess with tears of joy for her!

She also got her i-Ready test scores back. Her Title 1 teacher let her take it entirely on her own. This is the first time EVER that she has tested out at grade level.

Her confidence has shot through the roof !

Michelle Johnson, parent
Missouri

Report Card Day

Most parents dread report card day, as this parent shared:

Yesterday, report cards came out.

In the early years of elementary school, I would dread this day. My heart would sink, and I would end up in floods of tears when I opened my son’s report card. We would not talk to him about his report card. If he asked, we’d say he was doing “fine.”

Yesterday was different. I was excited as I opened his report card because I knew he was doing well in middle school. Sure enough, my hard-working son had made the high honor roll.

I immediately Facetimed him from work to let him know how proud I was of the hard work he put into this achievement.

I am also proud of the hundreds of hours he and I have worked together on the Barton System to get him to this point. We look forward to the day when we’ll finish Level 10, but that is still a couple of years away.

Tutoring him has not been easy because his dyslexia is very severe.

I am sharing this to encourage those who are just starting out tutoring their own children and finding it difficult. Hard work, persistence and dedication pay off !!!

I dread to think what our lives would be like if I had not found the Barton Reading & Spelling System.

A.M. O’Connor, parent
Westford, MA

Miracle In A Box

Grandmothers often tutor a grandchild who has dyslexia with great results — as this grandmother shared: 

The Barton Reading System is outstanding due to its systematic introduction of new sounds and skills.

The videos are well done, and between that and the excellent teaching manuals, anyone can use this system with success.

And I can’t say enough about your free support and the many free goodies on your tutor support website.

My severely dyslexic grandson went from not being able to read the word “cat” in 3rd grade to handling 7th grade quite confidently.

You have created a miracle in a box!

Patty Drake, grandmother and tutor
Medford, OR

Proud Mommy Moment

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

I have to share a proud mommy moment.

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

I Love Tutoring My Granddaughter Remotely

Grandparents can play such an important role in helping a grandchild, as this grandmother shared:

I love tutoring my nine-year-old granddaughter remotely with the Barton System. She lives 1,000 miles away, yet I can still help her.

Before Barton, learning to read was a daily struggle for her,  and she was often in tears. She was recently diagnosed with severe-to-profound dyslexia.

The Barton System has turned this around for her in just 2 ½ months.

Her parents share that she is now cheerful and looks forward to our online tutoring sessions. Those sessions have brought us closer together.

And her mother recently caught her reading signs at the gas station.

Thank you for developing the Barton System. It’s brilliant.

Joyce Ulshafer, grandmother
Brea, CA

She Thrived In School This Year

Homeschooling children with dyslexia can be a great option. But it’s nice to know that those children can be successful in a public or private school after they have had the right type of tutoring — as this parent shared: 

I homeschooled my daughter, who has dyslexia, while taking her through Levels 1 to 8 of the Barton Reading & Spelling System.

She is now 12 and just completed her first year of traditional school.

The Barton System prepared her well, and she thrived in school this year.

She was surprised to find out that she was better at reading aloud than some of her non-dyslexic peers.

We are so grateful to you not only for your program, but for the way you educate and encourage parents and students along the way.

Andrea Sivillo, homeschool parent
Fair Oaks, CA

Hayden Hated School

The right tutor, using the right program, can change everything — as this parent shared:

Hayden was not diagnosed with dyslexia until fifth grade.

Looking back, however, there were signs: family history, hours spent on homework that should have taken less than half the time to complete, trouble memorizing spelling words for the weekly test, not reading at grade level and the most obvious, but missed, was dysgraphia.

Hayden did not verbally communicate his struggles. He just said he hated school. His behavior at school was fine. In fact, the teachers loved him. Where we noticed problems were outbursts of anger and frustration at home and during sports.

So we decided to hit a reset button and pull him from all things not related to school.

We sent him to tutoring at Kumon, which only made things worse because he was sent home with lots more work to complete.

We also made him practice handwriting for a half an hour a day, which again,  only made things worse.

I had a friend who was certified to test for dyslexia and after talking with her and having him tested, she confirmed Hayden was dyslexic. She had a list of recommendations.

On the top of her list was getting Hayden into tutoring with the Barton Reading & Spelling System, and Kelly Christian was the tutor she recommended.

When we met with Kelly, she was not only super sweet and personable, but she really knew what we were struggling with.

Hayden began tutoring with Kelly two times a week in June 2016.  She made tutoring fun, and they developed a great relationship.  He did not fight going, and we started to see positive changes right away. His grades started to improve and so did his attitude.

Using the new techniques Kelly showed him, Hayden started reading again and was even able to understand why words are spelled the way they are and how to break them down into the smaller root word.

He completed the 10 level program in just under 3 years, in March 2019.

Hayden is a different student now. He understands what he’s learning and doesn’t hate school.

By showing him the reasons why, and the different tricks we dyslexics can use to learn and remember, Hayden is back at grade level and ready for high school.

Kari Carlson, parent
San Clemente, California

Stunned At Her Reading Ability

Susan Barton loves hearing from parents who take action right away, as this parent did:

My daughter had neuropsych testing done 3 1/2 years ago. She was diagnosed with dyslexia.

I researched and found a Barton tutor a month later.

We have worked tirelessly year round for the last 3 1/2 years. She is now in the middle of Level 8.

My daughter was recently retested by that neuropsych. The doc was STUNNED at her reading ability. He said it is very rare to see a child jump that drastically in their reading skills — and whatever I’m doing, keep it up!

Thank you, Susan, for creating the Barton System.

Kimberly Christianson
Homeschool Parent
Hampton, IA

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