A typical session is one-on-one and lasts about one hour. Barton uses color-coded letter tiles to help students connect sounds with letters. Each lesson has 18 steps, and activities change about every five minutes. If a student can’t complete the eight steps within an hour, the lesson continues at the next session. Students are assessed at the end of each level. They don’t move on unless they show mastery of what they have been taught. It can take between two and four years of twice-weekly sessions for students to complete all 10 levels.