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Wilson Reading System vs. Barton: What’s the Difference?

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Both the Wilson Reading System and the Barton Reading and Spelling System are well-known, evidence-based programs for children with dyslexia — and both are built on Orton-Gillingham principles. So how do you know which one is right for your child? This guide breaks down the real differences.

What They Have in Common

Wilson and Barton share the same foundation: both are structured, sequential, multisensory programs designed specifically for individuals with dyslexia. Both explicitly teach the relationship between letters and sounds, build skills in a fixed order, and require mastery before moving forward. Neither assumes a child will "pick up" reading rules on their own.

Key Differences Between Wilson and Barton

  • Program origin: Wilson was developed specifically for older students and adults with severe dyslexia, though it's now used across a wide age range. Barton was designed to be highly accessible, including for tutors without a formal teaching background.
  • Assessment tool: Wilson pairs with its own diagnostic tool, the WADE Assessment, to precisely place students. Barton uses its own screening and placement process.
  • Materials and delivery: Both use highly scripted lesson plans, but the specific materials, pacing, and lesson format differ between the two programs.
  • Level structure: Wilson is organized into 12 structured steps; Barton is organized into 10 levels, each with its own specific focus and mastery requirements.

Which One Is Right for Your Child?

In practice, both programs are highly effective when delivered by a properly trained instructor, and the choice often comes down to instructor training and a program's specific fit for the child's assessment results, rather than one program being inherently superior. Some considerations:

  • A child who has already started one program may benefit from continuing rather than switching, unless there's a clear reason to change
  • The WADE Assessment can specifically help determine Wilson placement if that program is being considered
  • Both programs require patience and consistency — meaningful results typically take sustained, regular instruction over months, not weeks

How Founder Laila Madhani Approaches This Choice

Founder Laila Madhani ensures The Learnability's specialists are trained across multiple structured literacy programs, including both Wilson and Orton-Gillingham-based approaches like Barton. Rather than defaulting to one program for every child, our team assesses each child individually and recommends the program best suited to their specific needs.

Every program includes:

  • Experienced, specialist instructors — trained in multiple structured literacy methods
  • An initial assessment — to determine the right program fit before starting
  • Weekly online assessments — ongoing, built-in progress tracking
  • Regular feedback reports — clear updates for parents throughout the program

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wilson or Barton more effective for dyslexia?
Research supports both as effective, evidence-based approaches. Effectiveness depends more on consistent, skilled delivery and fit with the individual child than on one program being universally better.

Can a child switch between Wilson and Barton?
Yes, since both share the same Orton-Gillingham foundation, transitions between the two are generally manageable, though continuity with one program often supports steadier progress.

Does my child need a diagnosis to start either program?
No. An assessment can determine the right starting point without requiring a prior formal diagnosis.

How long does each program typically take to complete?
Both programs can take one to several years depending on severity of the reading difficulty, the child's age, and session frequency — though meaningful improvements are often visible well before full completion.

Are both programs available online?
Yes. The Learnability delivers both Wilson and Barton instruction fully online, one-on-one, with instructors trained in each method.

Choose Based on Your Child, Not the Program Name

Both Wilson and Barton can produce real results — the right choice comes down to your child's specific assessment results and instructor fit, not brand recognition alone.

Book your free trial session today, or learn more about our Wilson Reading System.

If The Learnability has helped your family, we'd love to hear about it — leave us a Google review.

Wilson Reading System vs. Orton-Gillingham | Learnability

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If you've been researching structured literacy programs for your child, you've likely come across both the Wilson Reading System and the Orton-Gillingham Approach — and wondered whether one is better than the other. This guide breaks down what each involves, how they differ, and how to figure out which one actually fits your child.

What Is the Orton-Gillingham Approach?

Orton-Gillingham isn't a single program with fixed materials — it's a foundational instructional approach built on explicit, systematic, multisensory teaching of the relationship between letters and sounds. Many specific structured literacy programs, including Wilson and Barton, are built directly on Orton-Gillingham principles.

Because it's a set of principles rather than a rigid curriculum, Orton-Gillingham instruction can look somewhat different depending on the specific tutor or program delivering it.

What Is the Wilson Reading System?

The Wilson Reading System is a specific, highly structured program built on Orton-Gillingham principles, using its own defined materials, lesson plans, and sequence of 12 structured steps. It was designed specifically for students with dyslexia and includes its own diagnostic tool, the WADE Assessment, to precisely place students at the right starting point.

Key Differences Between the Two

  • Structure: Orton-Gillingham is a flexible approach; Wilson is a specific, tightly scripted program built from that approach
  • Materials: Wilson uses its own proprietary materials and defined lesson sequence; Orton-Gillingham tutors may use varied materials depending on training and certification
  • Assessment: Wilson pairs with the WADE Assessment specifically; general Orton-Gillingham programs may use different assessment tools
  • Flexibility: Orton-Gillingham can be adapted more freely to a child's specific pace and needs; Wilson follows a more fixed, sequential structure

Which One Should My Child Use?

In practice, this isn't usually an either-or decision — both approaches share the same core, evidence-based foundation, and many tutors, including our team at The Learnability, are trained in both. The right choice comes down to your child's specific profile:

  • A child who benefits from a highly consistent, predictable lesson structure may do well with Wilson
  • A child who needs a more individually adapted pace and approach may benefit from a broader Orton-Gillingham program
  • Some children move between the two, or use elements of both, depending on how they respond

The clearest way to know is through a proper assessment rather than guessing based on program names alone.

How Founder Laila Madhani Approaches This Decision

Founder Laila Madhani built The Learnability specifically so families don't have to guess between programs. Every child begins with a full assessment — whether that's a WADE Assessment, an Orton-Gillingham Assessment, or both — so the recommendation is based on real data about your child, not a generic default.

Every program at The Learnability includes:

  • Experienced, specialist instructors — trained in both Wilson and Orton-Gillingham methods
  • An individualized assessment — to determine the right fit before starting
  • Weekly online assessments — ongoing progress tracking throughout the program
  • Regular feedback reports — clear updates on what's working and what's next

Frequently Asked Questions

Is one program more effective than the other?
Research supports both as effective for children with dyslexia. Effectiveness comes down to consistent, skilled delivery and fit with the individual child, not one program being universally superior.

Can a child switch between Wilson and Orton-Gillingham?
Yes. Since Wilson is built on Orton-Gillingham principles, many students transition smoothly between the two, or a tutor may blend elements of both based on the child's needs.

Does my child need a specific diagnosis to start either program?
No. Both can begin based on an assessment showing a reading difficulty, without requiring a formal prior diagnosis.

Are both available online?
Yes. The Learnability delivers both Wilson and Orton-Gillingham instruction fully online, one-on-one with a trained specialist.

How do I know which assessment my child needs?
Founder Laila Madhani's team can recommend the right starting assessment based on an initial conversation about your child's specific struggles.

Get the Right Program for Your Child, Not a Guess

Choosing between structured literacy programs doesn't have to be a guessing game. An assessment gives you real answers about what your child actually needs.

Book your free trial session today, or learn more about our Wilson Reading System and Orton-Gillingham Approach.

If The Learnability has helped your family, we'd love to hear about it — leave us a Google review.

What Is the WADE Assessment? A Parent’s Guide | Learnability

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What Is the WADE Assessment? A Complete Guide for Parents

If your child's tutor or school has mentioned the WADE Assessment, you're probably wondering what it actually measures and why it matters. This guide breaks down exactly what the WADE Assessment involves, who it's for, and what the results mean for your child's reading journey.

What Is the WADE Assessment?

WADE stands for the Wilson Assessment of Decoding and Encoding. It's a standardized diagnostic tool used alongside the Wilson Reading System to measure exactly how a child decodes (reads) and encodes (spells) words based on sound-symbol patterns. Unlike a general reading test, the WADE looks specifically at the skills the Wilson Reading System is designed to build — making it one of the most precise tools available for planning a structured literacy program.

At The Learnability, founder Laila Madhani's team uses the WADE Assessment as a core part of our evaluation process before recommending the Wilson Reading System or any other structured literacy program.

What Does the WADE Assessment Measure?

  • Decoding — how accurately and automatically a child reads real and nonsense words by applying sound-symbol rules
  • Encoding (spelling) — how accurately a child spells words using the same underlying sound-symbol knowledge
  • High-frequency word recognition — how well a child reads common words that don't always follow standard phonics rules

Testing both real words and nonsense words is a key part of what makes the WADE so precise — nonsense words can't be memorized, so they reveal whether a child is truly decoding or simply recognizing familiar words by sight.

Who Should Take the WADE Assessment?

  • Children already showing signs of dyslexia or a reading disability
  • Children who've had some reading intervention but progress has stalled
  • Children being considered for the Wilson Reading System specifically
  • Parents who want a precise, evidence-based starting point rather than a general reading check

WADE Assessment vs. WIST Assessment: What's the Difference?

These two assessments are often confused since both measure word reading and spelling. The key difference is design and purpose: the WIST Assessment is a broader, standalone measure of word identification and spelling. The WADE Assessment is specifically built to work alongside the Wilson Reading System, using real and nonsense words to plan exactly where a child should start in that program's structured levels.

How Long Does the WADE Assessment Take?

The WADE Assessment typically takes 30 to 45 minutes. At The Learnability, this is conducted online, one-on-one with a trained specialist, so your child can complete it comfortably from home.

What Happens After the WADE Assessment?

Once complete, you'll receive a clear picture of your child's decoding and encoding skills, along with a specific starting point if the Wilson Reading System is recommended. Founder Laila Madhani's team ensures every program begins exactly where a child needs it — not at a generic starting level — so no time is wasted on material that's either too easy or too advanced.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my child need a diagnosis before taking the WADE Assessment?
No. Many families book a WADE Assessment simply because they want clarity on reading and spelling skills before starting a program.

Is the WADE Assessment only used with the Wilson Reading System?
It's specifically designed to complement Wilson, but the insights it provides — decoding accuracy, spelling patterns, sight word recognition — are valuable even if a different program is ultimately recommended.

Can the WADE Assessment be done online?
Yes. The Learnability conducts the WADE Assessment fully online, one-on-one with a specialist trained in the Wilson Reading System.

What age group is the WADE Assessment appropriate for?
It's appropriate for children from early elementary age through high school, wherever decoding or spelling concerns exist.

How much does the WADE Assessment cost?
Pricing depends on the specific assessment package. Contact The Learnability for current rates.

Get a Precise Starting Point for Your Child's Reading Program

Guessing at where to start a reading program often wastes valuable time. Founder Laila Madhani built The Learnability's assessment process, including the WADE Assessment, to give every child a plan that starts exactly where they are.

Book your free trial session today, or learn more about our Wilson Reading System.

If The Learnability has helped your family, we'd love to hear about it — leave us a Google review.