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!
More than words: Joe Pawsey’s success transcends reading
With the help of GiGi’s Virtual Playhouse team, Joe Pawsey was able to regain his confidence and accomplish his dreams! At GiGi’s Playhouse, we strongly believe that education opens doors. Whether it’s at school, the workplace, or the community at large, literacy leads to inclusion. There’s no better illustration of this than a recent success…
Stirring Up Joy: Julie’s Journey with GiGi’s Kitchen Adult
In the midst of the pandemic, when social distancing became the norm and staying at home became a way of life, many of us found ourselves seeking new ways to stay connected and engaged. For Julie, discovering Virtual GiGi’s Kitchen Adult was a silver lining in an otherwise challenging time. Amidst the pandemic, Julie stumbled…
A sister’s impact
Many of our volunteers come to us because their lives have been personally touched by knowing someone with Down syndrome. We have many volunteers who have a sibling with Down syndrome and choose to give back by volunteering through our virtual 1:1 tutoring program or virtual group programs. Their passion for the Down syndrome community…