Passionate Online Reading Instructor empowering elementary children with dyslexia to become confident readers and spellers.
I employ tailored strategies and engaging activities to address their unique learning needs, fostering a supportive environment where they can thrive and develop essential reading skills with enthusiasm and success.
Common Challenges
*Your child works harder than others in his/her class in order to learn how to read or spell.
*Your child's teachers have discussed how your child is below level in reading.
*Your child gets frustrated easily when having to read, or just refuses to do so.
*Your child is falling behind in school.
Actions You've Taken to Support Your Child
*The school pulls your child out for Reading Intervention in small groups.
*You have tried computer programs and apps that just do not seem to help.
*You have requested the school complete testing, and found your child did not qualify.
*You feel exhausted and frustrated with how to help your child.
Empowering Reading Together
*I will complete an Assessment to help you and your child understand their strengths and weaknesses.
*I will teach your child reading/spelling strategies at their current level and build those weaknesses to strengths.
*I tutor using interactive and hands-on activities to keep your child engaged while learning to read and spell.
*I help your child understand their best way to learn so they can move on to all of their goals.
How it Works
Complete and submit the Contact Form. This will begin your journey to helping your child be a successful reader!
I will contact you after receiving your Contact Form to discuss your concerns and set up an evaluation time.
Once the evaluation is complete, I will share the results with you, and together, we will make a plan to help your child.
Testimonials
M.W.'s Testimonial
As a parent when you see your child struggle at anything, you want to help. Sometimes you let them work through a situation so they learn. In an academic situation it can be quite concerning depending on the degree of struggle.
Stacy was a blessing put into our lives. With her help our child has improved monumentally. They have jumped grade levels in months. Not only does Stacy work with our child but she adapts her way of teaching to the way the child learns. She challenges them enough but doesn't push them to where they become discouraged. She doesn't just test them to see where they are and then continue to work with them at the same level. She does follow up testing periodically. This allows her to adjust the program she is working with or switch to a program that would better fit your child.
She rewards a child for being there and working hard. We as parents may not take into consideration that a child has to be interested to learn. We can't just expect them to want to learn or demand that they try hard. Well we can..... but as we know a child has a mind of their own. Having a reward is something they get to look forward to.
She has great communication with parents. You can ask daily what has been worked on. Often she will do a quick follow up with me as I am picking up my child. Nothing too long as to take away from someone else's time, but enough so you know where your child is at or what they are working on. She will let you know both the goods and struggles. She never says anything in a way to embarrass a child. She will inform you of those lightbulb moments when a child makes it to that next level or something just clicks. She even gets excited, showing she cares about your child. They aren't just another kid on her schedule.
She has been amazing with scheduling. Working with me if we need to switch a day for travel, bad weather, or if I happen to forget what day it is. As any parent can admit there are those days.
I would happily refer anyone with a child who is struggling or maybe just wants that extra practice to visit with Stacy. Even if it's just something you're pondering on but not ready to commit to. I would recommend speaking with her.
I hope telling a little of my story can help another parent to take that next step and give tutoring with Stacy a try. It's sometimes just nice to know someone else has been there too.
MW
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a reading tutor do for dyslexia?
A dyslexia-informed reading tutor provides explicit, multisensory instruction in decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling), so your child learns the sound–symbol system step by step. For K–6, that means phonemic awareness, phonics, syllable types, morphology, fluency, and comprehension strategies—taught in a clear sequence with guided practice and review.
* Targets exact skills from a screener and work samples
* Uses direct, cumulative lessons with feedback and error correction
* Builds automaticity through decodable texts and repeated reading
* Integrates spelling/writing routines so patterns “stick”
Who do you work with?
Stacy works with students in grades K–6 who need support in reading and spelling, including those with diagnosed or suspected dyslexia.
* Early readers who need help building strong foundations
* Older elementary students struggling with fluency, accuracy, or confidence
* Families looking for structured, systematic support beyond what school provides
What age is best to get a reading tutor?
Early support is best, but it’s never too late in elementary school. K–2 is ideal for preventing small gaps from growing into decoding or confidence issues. Grades 3–6 benefit from targeted intervention to close gaps and strengthen spelling and fluency.
* Watch for signs: difficulty blending, slow decoding, guessing, persistent spelling errors
* A few months of consistent instruction can change the trajectory
* Lessons are paced to age, attention, and starting point
Do you diagnose dyslexia?
No. Tutoring is educational support, not diagnosis. If you want an evaluation, Stacy can point you to qualified evaluators and align instruction with reports.
* Works from school or private evaluation data when available
* Can coordinate with your school team if requested
* Instruction follows structured-literacy principles with or without a diagnosis
How do you assess my child's needs?
Stacy begins with a short DAR assessment covering phonemic awareness, letter–sound knowledge, decoding, fluency, spelling, and comprehension. Instruction then targets the top 1–2 gaps first.
* Baseline checks and reading/spelling samples
* Prioritized goals (e.g., segmenting → vowel patterns → syllable division)
* Progress checks every few weeks with pacing adjustments
* Parent summary after initial sessions
What methods do you use?
Instruction is rooted in structured literacy, drawing on Orton-Gillingham principles and techniques informed by Lindamood-Bell® and UFLI. Lessons are explicit, multisensory, and sequential.
* Multisensory routines (see, say, tap, write)
* Cumulative review and spaced practice
* Decodable texts matched to taught patterns
* Data-driven adjustments to maintain the right level of challenge
Is online tutoring effective for elementary students?
Yes. With interactive lessons, online tutoring is just as effective as in-person for K–6. Stacy mirrors in-person routines with digital tools, while parents help younger children with quick setup.
* Online: digital letter tiles, whiteboards, drag-and-drop activities
* In-person: manipulatives, handwriting, paper practice
* Families can switch between formats as needed
What results can we expect, and how long does it take?
Most students show steady growth with consistent attendance. Timelines vary, but many families see improved accuracy, confidence, and stamina within a few months.
* Growth depends on attendance, practice, and underlying needs
* Short-term: blending, controlled-text reading, key spelling patterns
* Medium-term: fluent reading of taught patterns, stronger spelling
* Progress shared through simple data and samples
What are your qualifications?
Stacy taught elementary school for 23 years and has tutored online for 6 years. She uses Orton-Gillingham–based structured literacy and has extensive experience supporting students with and without dyslexia.
* 23 years classroom teaching experience
* 6 years online tutoring experience
* Multisensory, sequential structured-literacy methods
* Strong record helping students who didn’t progress with school interventions
What does tutoring cost and what's included?
Each tutoring session is $70 per hour. Payments are automatically billed every 4 weeks, so you can focus on your child’s progress—not the paperwork.
* 1:1 instruction focused on priority skills-decoding, encoding, fluency, comprehension
* Periodic progress updates
* Materials provided digitally or in session
* Session length and scheduling arranged with families
How many sessions per week do you recommend?
Consistency matters most. Two sessions per week often help skills stick and generalize more quickly.
* Active intervention: shorter, more frequent lessons work best
* Maintenance: fewer sessions may work once decoding is strong
* Frequency matched to goals and family schedule
What technology do we need for the online sessions?
You’ll need a reliable internet connection and a device with a camera and microphone. A quiet space and an adult’s help with setup supports younger learners.
* Laptop or tablet preferred
* Headphones improve focus
* Links to online tools will be provided
