A Note of Gratitude: Galen’s Growth and Milestones with GiGi’s Virtual Playhouse
“Dear GiGi’s Virtual Team,
We want you to know how much we love your programs and teachers. You have made a profound difference in our lives, and it’s hard to believe how much growth has happened for Galen since he started attending programs in September!”
New Signs of Communication: The Impact of LMNOP
“Galen signed ‘excited’ several times recently, and I know that he got that from LMNOP, even though he pretends not to pay too much attention. Up until this development, the only other emotion he had a word or sign for was ‘happy,’ so this is a wonderful, big step. I love LMNOP, thank you for letting us participate!”
A Personal Connection: Galen’s Literacy Tutoring
“Most of all, thank you for Galen’s literacy tutoring. He adores Jaida, and I am so grateful for her expertise, patience, and caring in working with him. He is really invested in their time together. I believe he used his first intentional two-word instruction on his AAC device during their most recent session. I’ve never seen him do that before, and I was completely floored. He said, ‘More. Do.’ He made a similar statement again later in the session.”
Building Blocks of Literacy: Alphabet Awareness and Beyond
“He has continued to build on alphabet awareness and has lists of memorized words that go together with letter sounds, which he repeats or sings to himself off and on all day long. This week, however, I am also seeing the beginnings of a new level of reading skill! Galen is starting to (completely independently) recognize and pronounce the beginning sound of a word by seeing the word and noticing the letter that the word starts with. I can see that he is analyzing the first letter and thinking about what sound it makes. He does this when playing or seeing words in books that he is looking at by himself. I don’t even have words for how exciting this is.”
Overcoming Challenges: Continuing to Thrive
“All of this is happening during a time when he has decreased hearing due to the effects of an illness this winter, and I know that he is only continuing to progress because of your expert, multi-sensory programs and the huge amount of caring of the people who provide them.”
A Year of Growth and Gratitude
“These are just a few highlights of an amazing year filled with growth. We are so grateful for you all.”
Love,
Cevan, Galen, and Family
GiGi’s Virtual Playhouse’s 1:1 literacy tutoring and virtual programs, like LMNOP, have made a significant impact on Galen’s development. His journey is a testament to the power of personalized education and the dedication of the amazing team at GiGi’s Virtual Playhouse. We look forward to more milestones and growth in the future!
DOWN SYNDROME AWARENESS MONTH — PROVIDING THE RUNWAY FOR ACCEPTANCE!
We’ve all been there before — we walk into a room, and for whatever reason, it feels like all eyes are on us. For most of us, this is a fleeting feeling, but for individuals with Down syndrome, this is a daily reality. Individuals with Down syndrome wear their diagnosis on their face. Because of…
Gaining new skills through virtual learning
Virtual GiGi’s Kitchen Adult is a program where adults from around the country meet weekly to cook new recipes and learn about the importance of health and wellness through nutrition education, kitchen safety, food preparation, social activities and a shared meal. Under the guidance of program leaders, participants will learn about and progress through skills…
Reach out and get involved
We couldn’t serve families from all over the United States and abroad without our incredible volunteers. They show up every week ready and eager to serve our families and encourage our participants! Without them, we wouldn’t be able to have the incredible GiGi’s ripple effect happening all over the world. Bryce was the program leader for…