Barton Rules/Procedures
What should a tutor avoid doing when a student makes a mistake?
Telling the student the answer immediately.
What is the ability to hear ad work with sounds in spoken words called?
Phonemic Awareness
A student guesses at every word. What should you encourage them to do?
Answer:
Touch and say each sound before blending.
What is the focus of Barton Level 1?
Phonemic Awareness
How many vowels are there in English?
Five (A, E, I, O, U)
When should a student move to the next lesson?
Only after meeting mastery criteria.
How many sounds are in the word ship?
3 /sh/ /i/ /p/
A student reads sat as stat. What are they adding?
An extra sound.
What do the colored tiles represent?
Speech Sounds (phonemes)
True or False:
English has over 40 speech sounds.
True
Why is it important to follow the Barton script?
Because the lessons are carefully sequenced and research-based.
What is the difference between blending and segmenting?
Blending puts sounds together to make a word; segmenting breaks a word into individual sounds.
A student refuses to touch the tiles but knows the sounds. What should you do?
Encourage the multisensory routine with positive reinforcement while keeping expectations consistent.
Why are short daily reviews important?
They strengthen retention and automaticity.
Name three consonant digraphs
Examples:
If a student becomes frustrated, what should a tutor do?
Slow down, provide encouragement, and return to easier material if needed.
Why does Barton Level 1 use nonsense words?
To ensure students are decoding sounds rather than memorizing words.
A student consistently forgets directions after hearing them. Which skill may be weak?
Auditory memory
What is the purpose of nonsense words?
To measure true decoding ability instead of memorization.
How many sounds are in box?
4 (/b/ /o/ /k/ /s/)
What is more important—finishing the lesson or ensuring mastery?
Mastery
A student can repeat sounds but cannot pull them apart. Which phonemic awareness skill needs more practice?
Segmenting
A five-year-old is constantly out of their seat. Name two strategies to increase engagement.
Examples:
Why is Barton considered a multisensory program?
Students use visual, auditory, and kinesthetic/tactile pathways simultaneously.
Name three things every successful Barton tutor should consistently do.
Possible answers: