Curriculum
You may be wondering why your student is struggling with reading and/or writing. Whether you have received a formal dyslexia diagnosis or suspect dyslexia, your student will qualify to begin our program. We do NOT need a formal diagnosis to begin reading intervention.
Dyslexia is NOT something that your student will grow out of. It requires an explicit, systematic, multi-sensory reading intervention program to close the reading gap. Our program is exactly that.
We use the Barton Reading & Spelling System and one-on-one tutoring to give your students the tools they need to succeed. Barton is a structured literacy program which uses the Orton-Gillingham teaching approach. The OG structure breaks reading and spelling into smaller skills that are consistently reviewed and built on over time.
WNYDS does not just push students through the program. Our tutors adapt to each student’s specific needs and guide them to reach at least 95% consistent mastery in each of the skill areas!
Students will work with their reading instructor one-on-one through the ten-level Barton System. The levels do not equate to a grade level. The levels are sequenced to gradually build reading skills as follows:
- Phonemic Awareness
- Consonants & Short Vowels
- Closed Syllable Division & Vowel Teams
- Multi-Syllable Words & Vowel Teams
- Prefixes and Suffixes
- Six Reasons for Silent -E
- Vowel-R Syllables
- Advanced Vowel Teams
- Influences of Foreign Languages
- Greek Words & Latin Roots
Each level contains 10-15 lessons except for the first 2 levels which are shorter. For more information on the topic of each lesson click here.
At the end of each level, our reading instructors will test the student to ensure mastery in each of the skill areas. They will then move on to the next level once they have achieved 95% consistent mastery. Completing all levels will give students all the rules they need to read just about anything.
If you are ready to take the next steps, here is a brief rundown of what our program looks like:
Step 1: Consultation
Schedule a call here or contact us at 716-541-0331 to set up a consultation with our Services Coordinator, Emily Schutrum. This consultation will include an in-depth overview of the program and what to expect.
Step 2: Screening
After you have met with Emily, you will be ready to set up a Barton Student Screening.
Step 3: Getting Started
After completing and passing the screening, the student will start Barton Level One.
Not every student is ready to begin with an Orton-Gillingham based program. Don’t worry! If they do not pass the screening, our reading instructors will start them in the Foundation in Sounds Program. This course will prepare them for the Barton Reading & Spelling System.
Foundation in Sounds aims to improve auditory discrimination, auditory memory, and auditory sequence of sounds skills. Most students who complete Foundation in Sounds go on to pass the Barton screening with ease and enter Level 1.
Step 4: Begin Tutoring!
Now that the student has entered the Barton Reading & Spelling System, they will meet with their reading instructor at least two times per week. These tutoring sessions can take place in-person, virtual, or through a hybrid model.
Not all students are the same. Our trained and experienced reading instructors will adapt to meet your student’s needs. With years of experience, our tutors often use creative ways to help students overcome obstacles.
