What is “Literacy”?

By Clare Cronin, Board Member at GiGi’s Playhouse of Fort Myers

The dictionary definition of ‘literacy’ is simply “the ability to read and write”. Literacy means so much more though, doesn’t it? The entire world around us takes literacy for granted, but many people with Down syndrome find learning to read and write quite challenging. The result is that many doors are closed.

GiGi’s Playhouse of Fort Myers is all about opening doors to possibilities and opening windows to bright futures! We conducted our first Literacy Program training session for parents and tutors this past weekend and one-on-one Literacy sessions will begin at the Playhouse soon (as always, at no charge to participants!) We are overjoyed at the possibilities this program holds for all those participating.

Literacy Program training at GiGi’s Playhouse of Fort Myers January 2018

As our Literacy Program Coordinator, Angela Rosenberg says “reading is essential in one’s ability to live independently and self-advocate. It provides better opportunities for meaningful employment and is key for important life skills such as traveling, ordering from a menu and keeping one’s self from danger. The gift of literacy gives people the freedom to cook from a recipe, read to learn something new and/or read to travel to places they may never get to experience in real life. Learning to read is life-changing and for our families and friends it is absolutely possible with the right teacher and a literacy program that works!”

We are so excited to have all these pieces in place at GiGi’s Playhouse of Fort Myers—a program proven to work for people with Down syndrome and talented, driven, caring volunteer tutors who now have the tools to help our participants grow in ways they never imagined and many thought may not be possible! Watch out world, here they come!

What does literacy mean to you personally? What does literacy mean to you as a parent of a child with DS? Join the conversation, share your thoughts below. We’d love to hear from you!