Barton Reading & Spelling System
Optional Fluency Building Drills
For Level 6
Copyright © 2006 by Susan Barton, to supplement the Barton Reading & Spelling System
Which students need extra practice in fluency?
These materials should only be used with a student who is being tutored using the Barton
Reading & Spelling System.
Not every Barton student needs extra practice in fluency. These materials should only be
used with a student who can read accurately by sounding out but when looking at words
on paper during the lesson, has to sound out almost every single word, every single time.
In other words, the student has virtually no visual memory for words.
The student must have completed at least Lesson 1 in Level 6.
How to use these materials – the big picture
These should not be used instead of a regular lesson. Do a regular lesson for most of the
session. These materials should only be used 5 minutes at the beginning and end of a
tutoring session. You will need a stopwatch when doing these drills.
There are one or two pages per lesson. If the student will tolerate it, have the student do
both pages. But don’t ever push a student to the point of total frustration. Stop if you see
that happening.
Fluency means speed. These exercises will help a child gradually gets faster at glancing
at the letters, sounding them out in his head, and then saying the word. Gradual is the
key. It takes a long time to significantly improve fluency, but these drills should help.
Repeated reading is what research shows will eventually, over time, improve fluency.
You are not trying to get students to memorize these words by shape. Instead, these
repeated reading exercises just give students more practice at reading by looking at the
letters and sounding out.
Never push for speed at the cost of accuracy. Accuracy is more important than speed.
And this is not “drill to kill.” Ideally, a child will read both pages (the ones related to the
lesson the student has just completed) only two times at the beginning of a session, and
two times at the end of a session. The first reading is their “cold” or “practice” speed. The
second reading is their “now that you’re warmed up” speed.
If a parent is eager to help at home, the tutor could send these home with the parent. Or
these could be done by an aide in the classroom on non-tutoring days.
Copyright © 2006 by Susan Barton, to supplement the Barton Reading & Spelling System
Page 2
There are two ways to have a student do these exercises: read the entire page and
encourage them to beat their time, or just read as far as they can in two minutes.
Children who are naturally competitive will usually enjoy trying to beat their own time.
In that case, follow the instructions below in the Method 1: Beat Your Time section.
But some children will become very anxious if they feel any time pressure. Those
children should read as far as they can in two minutes. For those children, follow the
instructions in the Method 2: Two-Minute Readings section.
Syllable Division Tips
If you wish, you can allow your student to “preview and mark” the words on the page.
During “preview and mark,” allow the student to highlight the vowels using a yellow
highlighting pen (if desired) and draw a dividing line with a pencil.
Or the student can draw the dividing line with a pencil.
Only then have the student read the list out loud.
Copyright © 2006 by Susan Barton, to supplement the Barton Reading & Spelling System
Page 3
Method 1: Beat Your Time
A naturally competitive child should read the entire page. Use a stopwatch to determine
how long it took him to read the entire page.
Say: “Let’s start with a cold reading. That means you’re going to read this page for the
very first time – to practice. Go a little bit slower than you know you really could – to
avoid making too many mistakes.”
“I’ll show you how long it took when you’re done. Ready? Go.”
While the student reads the page, follow along on a copy of the page – and circle any
misread words. Do not interrupt the student’s reading to point out mistakes.
Once the student has finished reading the page, show the student how much time it took,
and write it down in the next available empty box along the bottom of the page.
If the student misread any words, say, “There were just a couple of words that were not
quite right.” Point to each of the words the student misread. Have the student figure out
the word (by drawing a dividing line with a pencil, if needed). Praise, Praise, Praise.
Write the number of words the student got wrong below their time, such as: 2:30 / 3
If a student makes more than 3 errors on a page, the student was probably trying to go too
fast. In that case, say “I think you were trying to go a bit too fast. Slow down a little bit
this next time – and see if we can get that bottom number to go down.”
The goal is to reduce one or both of those numbers the second time he reads that page.
The second reading is called the “now that you’re warmed up reading.”
Say something like: “Now that you’re warmed up, I’d like you to read that page again –
to see if you can beat that time just a little bit. But it won’t count if the number of
mistakes goes up. So don’t go so fast that you start making mistakes. Ready? Go.”
Again, mark mistakes (using a different color or different mark) on your follow-along
page. Do not interrupt his reading. When he is done, show him the new time and write it
down (praising for any improvement), then point to the words that “weren’t quite right”
and have him sound them out. Write the number wrong below that second time. Point
out that one or both of the numbers went down, and praise, praise, praise.
Then switch to a different page and follow the same procedure.
Copyright © 2006 by Susan Barton, to supplement the Barton Reading & Spelling System
Page 4
Method 2: Two-Minute Readings
If your student gets anxious or frightened or melts down when pushed for speed, or the
idea of reading an entire page overwhelms the student, then have the student read as far
as he or she can in two minutes.
Say: “I am not going to let you read the entire page. I’m only going to let you read for a
little while. When I say stop, you must stop reading – even if you don’t want to. And
read a little bit slower than you know you really could – to avoid making too many
mistakes.”
“Remember, when I say stop, you must stop. When you’re ready, go ahead and start.”
When the student reads the page, follow along on a copy of the page – and circle any
mistakes the student makes. Do not interrupt the student’s reading to point out mistakes.
When two minutes is up, say “Stop.” Together count up how many words the student
read. In your mind, calculate how many the student read correctly. Say something like,
“You read XX of those words perfectly.”
Write their score in the next available empty box along the bottom of the page. Write it
as the number of words read correctly over the total number of words read in one minute.
Example: 22 / 24.
The goal is to increase one or both of those numbers.
But before doing any more reading, if the student misread any words, state: “There were
just a couple of words that were not quite right.” Point to each of the words the student
misread. Have the student figure out the word, drawing a dividing line with a pencil if
necessary. Praise, Praise, Praise.
Then say, “Now that you’re warmed up, I’d like you to read them one more time – just a
tiny bit faster. Let’s see if you can make either number bigger – now that you’re warmed
up.”
Again, mark mistakes (using a different color or mark) on your follow-along page
without interrupting his reading. When one minute is up, stop the student, and together
calculate the number of words read. You calculate the number read correctly, share it,
and write the score in the next empty box at the bottom of the page. Point out that either
one or both of the numbers got bigger, and praise, praise, praise.
Then switch to a different page and follow the same procedure.
Copyright © 2006 by Susan Barton, to supplement the Barton Reading & Spelling System
Page 5
Level 6, Lesson 1 – REAL WORDS, page 1 of 2
ape
bone
cave
wipe
vane
bloke
thrive
care
strike
dive
mope
crane
ride
dime
choke
base
gale
lane
share
rake
pole
spire
glare
stone
date
stare
tote
whale
life
poke
shame dude
mile
lane
file
plate
fade
dine
grime
drape
trade
slime
while
zone
gave
dive
sale
poke
shape
kite
robe
eve
wife
quake
duke
swipe
tile
rove
slate
tape
Copyright © 2006 by Susan Barton, to supplement the Barton Reading & Spelling System
Page 6
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Level 6, Lesson 1 – REAL WORDS, page 2 of 2
yoke
ate
wove
babe
made
snipe
mule
joke
cape
dome
flume
globe
wide
theme
sprite
shone
scale
shine
prime
pale
mime
lone
jive
hate
glade
fluke
dune
dome
broke
crime
drive
flake
lime
stake
rude
spite
stale
time
wave
while
drape
crave
five
home
rule
drove
like
shore
Copyright © 2006 by Susan Barton, to supplement the Barton Reading & Spelling System
Page 7
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Level 6, Lesson 2 – REAL WORDS, page 1 of 2
ablaze
before
wishbone
stampede
female
fanfare
empire
combine
stagecoach
athlete
bagpipe
mistake
locate
deprave
console
speculate
evening
sunshade
defame
escape
prepare
tribute
alive
basement
alone
umpire
feline
immune
manicure
donate
recite
galore
exhale
declare
pavement
excavate
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(12)
(18)
(24)
(30)
(36)
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Page 8
Level 6, Lesson 2 – REAL WORDS, page 2 of 2
ozone
prescribe
severe
hibernate
sublime
antelope
behave
absolute
awoke
textile
became
decode
complicate
provide
humane
explore
include
constitute
communicate require
ashore
trombone
animate
demonstrate
aware
baseball
translate
activate
trapeze
Valentine
inflate
concrete
elevate
restore
celebrate
admire
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(12)
(18)
(24)
(30)
(36)
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Page 9
Level 6, Lesson 3 – REAL WORDS, page 1 of 2
mice
grace
confuse
magic
embrace
desire
twice
transpose
rage
digest
lace
produce
disclose
gender
pace
allspice
device
huge
introduce
prose
congested
replace
truce
splice
logic
fireplace
Chinese
gigantic
pathology
majesty
docent
deluge
chose
sacrifice
reproduce
tragic
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(12)
(18)
(24)
(30)
(36)
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Page 10
Level 6, Lesson 3 – REAL WORDS, page 2 of 2
use
reside
strategy
gem
amuse
backspace
legislate
ice
despise
propose
digestion
Japanese
place
deduce
impose
gene
accuse
astrology
frigid
oblige
legend
showplace
those
vigil
rise
spice
tragedy
agent
devise
indispose
brace
misplace
oppose
gelatin
nose
age
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(12)
(18)
(24)
(30)
(36)
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Page 11
Level 6, Lesson 4 – REAL WORDS, page 1 of 2
abrasive
strive
objective
forgive
destructive
drive
negative
solve
contrive
protective
retentive
shave
thrive
adaptive
dissolve
misbehave
extensive
additive
preventive
wave
adoptive
incentive
attractive
outlive
consecutive nosedive
crave
primitive
offensive
involve
effective
detective
responsive
expressive
arrive
admissive
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(18)
(24)
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(36)
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Page 12
Level 6, Lesson 4 – REAL WORDS, page 2 of 2
predictive
elective
instinctive
relative
engrave
intrusive
reflective
alive
behave
productive
talkative
repetitive
impressive
festive
collective
absolve
jive
deprave
executive
combative
exclusive
decisive
deprive
active
convulsive
motive
revive
captive
cave
microwave
secretive
subjective
selective
rave
skydive
locomotive
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Page 13
Level 6, Lesson 5 – REAL WORDS, page 1 of 2
chance
badge
enhance
fidget
condense
convince
incidence
revenge
presence
offense
judge
lance
suspense
sludge
intense
fledge
advance
cringe
acceptance excellence
commence
budge
finance
dredge
outdistance wince
sledge
lunge
grudge
freelance
hedge
fudge
huge
sixpence
ridge
wedge
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Page 14
Level 6, Lesson 5 – REAL WORDS, page 2 of 2
trudge
thence
sustenance
indulgence
infringe
insistence
fragrance
smudge
stance
challenge
bulge
entrance
dodgeball
evidence
edge
budget
elegance
fence
since
romance
imbalance
prance
plunge
pledge
scavenge
hinge
glance
substance
France
lodge
intelligence silence
nonsense
fringe
bridge
prince
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(18)
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Page 15
Level 6, Lesson 6 – REAL WORDS, page 1 of 2
bitter
canned
chided
whined
traced
tamed
spitting
shipped
shameless
dived
engaging
filed
coming
cure
endurable
notable
judged
fenced
lifeless
embraceable chimed
plated
hoped
dining
caring
griping
reddish
lacy
loner
movable
purity
joker
baked
muted
safer
shaking
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(12)
(18)
(24)
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(36)
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Page 16
Level 6, Lesson 6 – REAL WORDS, page 2 of 2
hopped
movement
scraped
raced
cuter
bonny
tapping
wading
slopped
sharing
stony
gapping
dotting
completing
ashamed
frozen
later
actively
timeless
skater
shaming
likable
braveness
bidding
shiny
completely
broken
dinner
filled
naming
robbed
nosy
planner
hopeless
judging
snipped
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(18)
(24)
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(36)
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Page 17
Level 6, Lesson 7 – REAL WORDS, page 1 of 2
surprise
famous
critical
valuable
festival
economize
gluing
pompous
renewal
postal
equalize
betray
copier
brutal
admire
legalize
itemize
arrive
magical
colonize
rental
outrageous fictional
abdomen
coastal
envious
recital
plentiful
vitalize
thunderous
maximize
continental
revival
idolize
musical
anecdote
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(18)
(24)
(30)
(36)
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Page 18
Level 6, Lesson 7 – REAL WORDS, page 2 of 2
admiral
optional
subsidize
imaging
trial
betrayal
dramatize
ponderous
zonal
emotional
deputize
agonize
merchandise ridiculous
melodic
industrious humanize
denial
skeptical
calamity
bridal
momentous advise
political
electrical
identical
dangerous
romanticize spiral
tropical
capitalize
classical
tribal
traditional
venomous
proposal
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(18)
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Page 19
Level 6, Lesson 8 – REAL WORDS, page 1 of 2
mystic
lynx
digraph
dyslexic
enzyme
gryphon
dolphin
emphasis
hypnosis
tyke
saxophone
phonics
physics
pylon
stylus
phantom
offensive
trophy
proposed
symbol
phoneme
Cyprus
mythology
nephew
atmosphere crypt
antonym
ecosystem
gypsy
graph
microphone hydrant
dynasty
pygmy
pamphlet
Olympics
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(18)
(24)
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(36)
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Page 20
Level 6, Lesson 8 – REAL WORDS, page 2 of 2
photograph styrofoam
sympathy
stratosphere phase
oxygen
photocopy
syllabus
philosophy
gym
Joseph
monograph
analysis
hydrogen
homonym
dynamic
esophagus
aphid
myth
megaphone
prophet
style
symmetry
phony
Phyllis
photogenic
typed
phobic
telegraph
type
sophomore syntax
hybrid
analyze
Egypt
hyper
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Page 21
Level 6, Lesson 9 – REAL WORDS, page 1 of 2
juncture
acupuncture vulture
adventure
stricture
fixture
manufacture expenditure
natural
vesture
agriculture
pasture
capture
venture
infrastructure
mature
tablature
conjecture
picture
enrapture
lecture
premature
musculature ligature
(6)
(12)
(18)
(24)
nomenclature manufacturing subculture
cultural
texture
futurist
dentures
posturing
prematurity
structural
suture
debenture
(30)
(36)
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Page 22
Level 6, Lesson 9 – REAL WORDS, page 2 of 2
culture
substructure maturity
denature
gesture
signature
prematurely immature
divestiture
preselection refreshment
indenture
miscast
substation
stature
investiture
puncture
rapture
structure
recapture
posture
mixture
rupture
scripture
legislature
future
fracture
nature
sculpture
texture
agriculture
pasture
recapture
enrapture
structure
cultural
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(18)
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Page 23
Level 6, Lesson 10 – REAL WORDS, page 1 of 2
deletion
education
hydration
inflation
conclusion
constitution
domination
tension
obligation
restoration
ventilation
investigation
complication duplication
incision
administration exhalation
evasion
celebration
delegation
agitation
fusion
speculation
sedation
relocation
delusion
recognition
subdivision submission
intonation
medication
migration
supervision
rotation
invasion
activation
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(12)
(18)
(24)
(30)
(36)
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Page 24
Level 6, Lesson 10 – REAL WORDS, page 2 of 2
television
substitution
locomotion
captivation
donation
expedition
confusion
integration
notation
legislation
translation
protrusion
recognition nomination
contribution
erosion
devotion
definition
vacation
revision
mutation
negation
pollination
transfusion
location
pretension
vibration
suppression division
inclination
fascination
animation
convulsion
collision
explosion
institution
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(18)
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Page 25
Level 6, Lesson 11 – REAL WORDS, page 1 of 2
opposite
pillage
appetite
preface
chalice
officer
crystalline
stoppage
vintage
bandage
injustice
legitimate
practical
patronage
contribution
delicate
lattice
medicine
rummage
favorite
bodice
novice
senate
cottage
solace
vantage
duplicate
engine
doctrine
appendage
manage
nice
palate
examine
granite
passage
(6)
(12)
(18)
(24)
(30)
(36)
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Page 26
Level 6, Lesson 11 – REAL WORDS, page 2 of 2
office
predicate
village
climate
baggage
justice
lace
practice
vaccinate
necklace
pirate
voltage
luggage
menace
mice
advantage
expensive
obstinate
savage
malice
image
private
hypocrite
dosage
definite
executive
grimace
usage
chocolate
intricate
storage
desolate
satellite
infinite
dynamite
damage
(6)
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(18)
(24)
(30)
(36)
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Page 27
Level 6, Lesson 12 – REAL WORDS, page 1 of 2
angle
candle
grizzle
incapable
fable
dazzle
battle
dismantle
grapple
trifle
snuggle
puzzle
jumble
toddle
whistle
nibble
gullible
cattle
castle
entangle
humble
dimple
hobble
gobble
riddle
inevitable
tremble
sizzle
sample
pebble
nestle
thistle
shamble
topple
cable
grumble
(6)
(12)
(18)
(24)
(30)
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Page 28
Level 6, Lesson 12 – REAL WORDS, page 2 of 2
ample
giggle
example
idle
hustle
settle
ramble
swindle
wiggle
struggle
visible
title
kettle
monocle
noble
single
rectangle
ladle
juggle
staple
incredible
sniffle
middle
scramble
tattle
stumble
jangle
little
entitle
bubble
fizzle
apple
gentle
handle
fiddle
impossible
(6)
(12)
(18)
(24)
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Page 29
Level 6, Lesson 13 – REAL WORDS, page 1 of 2
chuckle
unbuckle
tricycle
Popsicle
unicycle
dislike
emotional
cackle
vehicle
shackle
fizzled
interlaced
dangling
megacycle
vesicle
pickle
changed
recycle
incomplete
chuckling
claimed
canticle
cubicles
tickle
frazzled
fickle
dislodge
follicle
buyers
circling
spangled
whistled
obstacles
magnetize
nuzzling
sprinkles
(6)
(12)
(18)
(24)
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Page 30
Level 6, Lesson 13 – REAL WORDS, page 2 of 2
tackle
ramshackle
stickle
cuticle
epicycle
ankle
crackled
grizzly
heckler
struggles
receptacles
puzzles
rumpled
sizzling
speckle
spectacle
chuckled
buckle
hustles
icicles
jostling
intermingled prickle
ventricle
untangle
freckles
pinnacle
trickle
uncle
inkling
shackled
twinkling
vehicles
rectangles
spackle
obstacle
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(18)
(24)
(30)
(36)
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Page 31
Level 6, Lesson 14 – REAL WORDS, page 1 of 2
chewable
impoliteness bridgeable
compatible
amusable
impression
insensible
conductible
translate
extendable
transmittable impressible
gullible
inflatable
(6)
(12)
transcript
combustible immature
deniable
huggable
flexible
immerged
transfixed
immobilized
stretchable
incredible
transit
buildable
dismissible immovable
controllable
impractical
excitable
illegible
inflexible
transposable packable
(18)
(24)
(30)
(36)
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Page 32
Level 6, Lesson 14 – REAL WORDS, page 2 of 2
transitive
checkable
immunity
inventible
ignorable
translation
sellable
responsible
unprintable
twistable
legible
improbably
drainable
transcend
negligible
transmittal
unacceptable livable
valuable
visible
(6)
(12)
(18)
uncuttable
inaccessible curable
connectable
transfigure
eligible
transpacific
unresolved
winnable
impossibly
erodible
defensible
traceable
shrinkable
transmitter
invisible
(24)
(30)
(36)
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