Introducing Emi, our new Teach Me Too ambassador!

Our newest Teach Me Too ambassador is Emi! She might be one of our longest-reigning users of Teach Me Too, having used our videos for 3 years!

“Emi is turning 4 years old this month. She starts school this year, and she’s been watching and mesmerized by Teach Me Too videos since a few months old. She used to ask for ‘Lucy’ videos, after the Specialist Teacher who hosts many of the videos, and especially likes the Mathematics section and now asks for videos by title, and asks to watch the ‘Heavy & Light’ video the most.” - Emi’s Mum, Louise

Like many of our little learners in Teach Me Too, Emi is great at memorising and repeating the videos.

“She memorizes and speaks along with the sentences/words that she’s heard many times. She also learns Makaton by watching these videos, as well as vocabulary, etc. The videos are fun and educational, and she’s always found them fascinating and enthralling... She remembers the lyrics to hundreds of songs and memorizes stories in books too. She loves books and trying to read, and can read numbers from 0 - 10 so far. She’s also starting to learn Japanese, mainly through songs at the moment. And counting.”

Emi’s mum talks more about their experience in Emi’s early life and how their impression of her diagnosis has changed.

“When we first heard her diagnosis at about a week old, we were scared because we didn’t know what it meant for her or her future. The doctor didn’t give us any information, even when we asked him, so we Googled and were scared at what we’d read online. We hadn’t any idea that support groups existed, and the same with other parents we’ve met since, via portage/EYCNS. So have reached out to support groups to request that they send their leaflets to our local maternity hospital, to help other new parents with a DS diagnosis.

We were worried and scared at first, but it didn’t change how much we love her.

And we praise her for every achievement and progress to encourage her. We try not to compare her to her peers, but feel that she is doing so well.”

“Each individual is different, with different strengths and weaknesses, the same as all of us. I don’t want people to define her by her extra chromosome, but to get to know her and be pleasantly surprised and be more open minded.”

Increased inclusion in the media for people with Down’s syndrome is clearly impactful as we know. Little ones like Emi, are growing up with representation where generations before them didn’t, and this inspires them and shows them that Down’s syndrome doesn’t have to limit them!

“I like that there is more representation and inclusion on TV nowadays too, such as George on CBeebies, and actors with DS on Call The Midwife, Ralph & Katy, Neighbours and other recent programmes. I think that Emi might be a TV personality when she’s older, as she loves singing, dancing and entertaining.”

“She loves hugs and everyone who knows her agrees that she gives the best hugs in the whole world.”

Join Emi and so many other children with Down’s syndrome and SEND, and sign up for free to access Teach Me Too’s wealth of resources.