Barton Level 1: Building a Strong Foundation for Reading Success
“Learning to read is like learning to run. Some children learn it quickly and effortlessly. Others take longer and need more help. But everyone can learn it. And once you learn it, you can use it for the rest of your life.” - Susan Barton
Learning to read is a fundamental skill that opens doors to knowledge, imagination, and personal growth. The Barton Reading and Spelling System is a comprehensive, research-based approach to teaching reading, particularly for individuals with dyslexia or struggling readers. In this blog post, we'll explore Barton Level 1, what it teaches, and why starting at the beginning is crucial for reading success.
What is Barton Level 1?
Barton Level 1 is the foundation of the Barton Reading and Spelling System. It focuses on teaching phonemic awareness, which is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. This level is designed for students who have little to no phonemic awareness skills and is suitable for both children and adults.
What does Barton Level 1 teach?
Identifying rhymes: Students learn to recognize and produce rhyming words, which helps develop an ear for the sounds in language.
Breaking nonsense words into sounds: Level 1 focuses on breaking nonsense words into individual sounds. This skill is critical for learning to spell by sounding out words.
Isolating phonemes: Students learn to identify individual sounds within words, such as the beginning, middle, and ending sounds.
Blending phonemes: Combining individual sounds to form words is a crucial skill for reading. Students learn to read by sounding out words.
Comparing nonsense words: By finding the sounds that are different in two nonsense words, students learn how to check for their own spelling errors and correct their own mistakes.
How does Barton Level 1 teach these skills?
Barton Level 1 uses a multi-sensory approach to teaching phonemic awareness. One of the key tools used in this level is blank tiles. These tiles do not have letters on them, which allows students to focus solely on hearing and differentiating the sounds without the distraction of letters. By manipulating these blank tiles, students can practice breaking words into sounds, blending sounds together, and comparing nonsense words to develop their phonemic awareness skills.
Why is it essential to start at the beginning?
Building a strong foundation: Barton Level 1 lays the groundwork for future reading success. By mastering phonemic awareness, students develop the necessary skills to tackle more advanced concepts in later levels.
Addressing skill gaps: Many struggling readers have missed critical foundational skills. Starting at Level 1 ensures that no gaps in knowledge hinder progress.
Boosting confidence: Beginning at a level that matches a student's current skills helps build confidence and motivation. Students experience success right from the start, which encourages them to keep learning.
Systematic progression: The Barton System is designed to progress systematically from one skill to the next. Skipping levels may lead to confusion and frustration as students encounter concepts they are not yet prepared for.
Barton Level 1 is the critical first step in building a strong foundation for reading success. By focusing on phonemic awareness, breaking nonsense words into sounds, and using blank tiles, students develop the skills necessary to read by sounding out words and spell by sounding out. These skills also enable students to check for their own spelling errors and correct their own mistakes. Whether you're a parent, teacher, or adult learner, starting at the beginning with Barton Level 1 ensures that no essential skills are overlooked, setting the stage for a lifelong love of reading.
