Placement guide, language arts
Which level of Barton Reading & Spelling should my child start?
How Barton Reading & Spelling levels line up with school grades, how its placement test works, what to do if your child lands between two levels, and the mistakes parents most often make.
The short answer. Level numbers are a teaching sequence, not grades: the publisher states its level numbers do not equal grade level. Most students start at Level 1 no matter how old they are, so a 5th or 8th grader starting at Level 1 is normal, not a sign of failure. Finishing all 10 levels takes students to about a mid-ninth-grade reading and spelling level, so Level 10 is not 10th grade.
Use the publisher's own placement tool to choose the level (free, PDF). If you are not sure where your child really is, or the result surprises you, check the level first: it is quicker than a wrong book.
Barton Reading & Spelling levels and the grades they usually suit
| Level | Usually suits grade | Main topics |
|---|---|---|
| Barton Level 1: Phonemic Awareness | Not given by the publisher | Hearing and moving sounds in CV, VC, CVC, VCC and CCV nonsense words, rhyming, real words |
| Barton Level 2: Consonants & Short Vowels | Not given by the publisher | Letters A to Z in five lesson groups, plus E, SH, TH, CH, WH and CK |
| Barton Level 3: Closed Syllables | Not given by the publisher | Blends at the end, beginning and both ends, digraphs, 3-letter blends, early spelling rules (floss, kiss the cat, milk truck, ING/INK), contractions |
| Barton Level 4: Syllable Division & Vowel Teams | Not given by the publisher | Open syllables, syllable division rules 1 to 4, schwa, three-syllable words, long vowel teams |
| Barton Level 5: Prefixes & Suffixes | Not given by the publisher | Plurals (S vs ES), consonant and vowel suffixes, ED/ING doubling, the change rule, TION vs SION, common prefixes |
| Barton Level 6: Six Reasons for Silent-E | Not given by the publisher | Silent-E in one-syllable and longer words, C and G with silent-E, PH, medial Y, TURE, consonant-LE, ABLE vs IBLE |
| Barton Level 7: Vowel-R Syllables | Not given by the publisher | AR, OR, ER, IR, UR, vowel-R with silent-E, bossy W, the three sounds of EAR, ARY/ERY/ORY |
| Barton Level 8: Advanced Vowel Teams | Not given by the publisher | IE, OI/OY/EY, AU/AW, OO, OU/OW, EA, IGH/AUGH/EIGH/EI, split vowels and related spelling patterns |
| Barton Level 9: Influence of Foreign Languages | Not given by the publisher | Greek words, silent letter pairs, French QUE, CH, AGE, EAU, OUR, G/GU/GUE |
| Barton Level 10: Greek Words & Latin Roots | Not given by the publisher | Latin chameleon prefixes and Greek forms used in science, math, medicine and social studies |
Grades are the publisher's own guide. Many children sit a level above or below, especially after switching programs.
How Barton Reading & Spelling placement works
- Barton uses a 10-minute Student Screening to check whether a student is ready for the program, not to choose a level.
- The tutor must first pass Barton's 5-minute Tutor Screening.
- The tutor prints a 2-page score sheet, gathers small objects in 3 colors and watches the publisher's video.
- Part A asks the student to count words in spoken sentences (at most 1 wrong).
- Part B asks the student to clap syllables (at most 1 wrong).
- Part C asks the student to repeat and build sets of three sounds with colored squares (at most 6 repeats and 2 wrong).
- A student who passes starts at Level 1.
- The student must be at least 5 and in kindergarten or above, understand spoken English and struggle with spelling and sounding out words.
Open the publisher's placement page
If your child lands between two levels
There is no in-between placement. If the student misses Part A or Part B, start Barton anyway and spend the last 15 minutes of sessions for the first 3 to 4 weeks on the missing skill. If the student misses Part C, the publisher says the student is not ready for Barton and needs auditory skill work first, then a retake. Only a student with recent and intense Orton-Gillingham tutoring can skip ahead: the family contacts Barton, which sends post-tests for the first few levels. Each level ends with its own test.
Problems parents often run into
- Parents report older children find Level 1 very basic at first, even though the publisher says most students must still start there.
- Parents report the pace is deliberately slow, which can frustrate quicker learners. The publisher warns that moving on before a skill is mastered means the student will hit a wall later.
- The time commitment is large: at least 2 hours of one-on-one tutoring every week, year-round, for about 2 to 3 years for the full program.
- The parent or tutor must pass the Tutor Screening, which checks that the adult can hear sounds well enough to catch errors.
- The publisher says Barton cannot be used at the same time as other reading improvement programs.
Point of Progress in 20 seconds
Ready to see where your child stands?
See where they stand →Switching to Barton Reading & Spelling from another program
- Coming from another reading program without recent, intense Orton-Gillingham tutoring: start at Level 1.
- Coming from recent, intense Orton-Gillingham tutoring: contact the publisher for the post-tests of the first few levels before skipping any.
- The publisher calls Barton a complete language arts program, so families usually pause other reading programs while using it.
When you don't need a whole level
A placement test answers one question: which book. If your child is mostly on track but shaky in one area, say fractions or paragraph writing, a full lower level means months of review they do not need. Practising just the gaps is faster, and keeps them in the book that fits the rest of their skills.
Questions parents ask
How long is a Barton Reading & Spelling lesson?
Up to 1 hour per session, about 40 minutes for younger or less focused students, at least 2 sessions a week
Is it bad if my child places below their grade?
No. Programs pace topics differently, so a lower level often reflects the order things were taught, not how able a child is. What matters is starting where the work makes sense.
Do I need a placement test at all?
If you are switching programs or your child has had a hard year, yes. Starting too high is the most common reason a new curriculum stalls in the first month.
Keep reading
Curriculum finder
Match math and reading programs to your child, your faith and your state.
Which level of Easy Peasy Language Arts?
Levels, grades and how to place.
Which level of Moving Beyond the Page?
Levels, grades and how to place.
Which level of English for Young Catholics?
Levels, grades and how to place.
Which level of Lightning Literature?
Levels, grades and how to place.
Best secular language arts
Secular reading, spelling and writing programs compared.
Best Christian language arts
Christian and Catholic reading and writing programs.
Sources
- bartonreading.com/students/
- bartonreading.com/f/Barton_Student_Screening_Score_Sheet.pdf
- bartonreading.com/
- bartonreading.com/levels/
- bartonreading.com/faqs/
- bartonreading.com/homeschoolers/
Know where they stand before you buy the book.
About forty minutes at home, math and reading & writing, grades 3 to 10. The report is ready as soon as the test finishes.
Test your child, $9.99 →or with the ten-week workbook, $19.99This page is Point of Progress's own research, compiled in November 2026 from publishers' websites, placement materials and parent reviews. Publishers update their products, levels, placement tests and prices from time to time, so please verify all information with the provider before you buy. Point of Progress is independent and is not affiliated with any publisher named here.