While Toledo's 32 school districts use various reading curricula, the Susan Barton Reading System is a specialized, individualized approach often used as a supplement or alternative for students who need more targeted support. Varsity Tutors connects students in Toledo with tutors trained in the Susan Barton method to provide personalized 1-on-1 instruction tailored to each student's learning needs, which complements classroom instruction regardless of the school's primary reading program.

The Susan Barton system addresses common reading challenges—like difficulty with phonemic awareness, decoding unfamiliar words, or connecting sounds to letters—through explicit, multi-sensory instruction that moves at the student's pace. With personalized 1-on-1 tutoring, students get immediate feedback and targeted practice on their specific weak areas, which research shows is far more effective than classroom instruction alone where teachers manage large groups with varying needs.

In your first session, a tutor trained in the Susan Barton method will assess your student's current reading level, identify specific strengths and gaps (like phonemic awareness, decoding, or fluency), and establish baseline goals. This assessment guides the tutoring plan, ensuring instruction starts exactly where your student needs it and progresses systematically through the Susan Barton sequence.

The Susan Barton Reading System works for students from early elementary through high school, and even adults, since it's based on how the brain learns to read rather than age-specific benchmarks. Whether your student is in kindergarten just beginning phonics or a middle schooler still struggling with decoding, personalized instruction can be adapted to their developmental level and reading stage.

Classroom teachers in Toledo work with student-teacher ratios averaging 17:1, making it difficult to provide the individualized pacing and repetition struggling readers need. Susan Barton tutoring offers 1-on-1 instruction customized to your student's learning style, with immediate feedback, frequent practice, and the ability to slow down or accelerate based on mastery—not grade-level pace.

Many students show noticeable improvement in phonemic awareness, decoding accuracy, and confidence within 4-8 weeks of consistent 1-on-1 tutoring, though the timeline depends on the student's starting point and frequency of sessions. Sustained progress in fluency and comprehension typically develops over months of systematic, sequential instruction as foundational skills strengthen.

Look for tutors trained specifically in the Susan Barton Reading System or Orton-Gillingham methodology, with experience assessing and teaching students with reading difficulties or dyslexia. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who have demonstrated knowledge of structured literacy principles and a track record of helping students build strong reading skills.