by Laura Jiencke | Jan 16, 2019 | Bluebee News |
Bluebee Pals tech companions have become an effective personalized learning tool in many classrooms. Educators are mesmerized by the diversity of the various applications Bluebee provides to teachers and parents. Bluebee connects to a variety of reading, educational and music apps; educators are expressing how Bluebee motivate and engage children to learn. Bluebee Pals are very affordable and can be purchased by purchased order https://www.bluebeepals.com/purchase-orders/ or directly at Amazon and bluebeepals.com. https://www.bluebeepals.com/store/
Bluebee Pals educational plush learning tools have been implemented as an assistive technology tool in Pre-K classrooms for mainstream and special needs children. Many therapists and teachers are incorporating Bluebee Pals into their lessons plans and therapy sessions and witnessing positive results in learning. The personalized learning approach engages children to listen as Bluebee participates in directives in conjunction with the teacher.https://www.bluebeepals.com/general-education/
Bluebee Pals are a plush tech learning companion that connects all Apple and Android devices(phones, tablets & laptops) through Bluetooth and pair with all educational, reading and game apps. Introducing these tech companions motivates and inspires children to learn while increasing communication and social skills.
In 2018, Bluebee Pals released their premium Bluebee Pal Pro 4.0 with robotic head movement and a “free” educational and lifestyle App. The app introduces a Bluebee Pal House with rooms and games to teach Pre-K children social/emotional skills, speech/ language and basic curriculum.
They are part of the growing trend of personalized learning providing students more opportunities to become architects of their own learning path as technology adapts to their specific needs. Personalized learning consists of customized learning paths. These paths adapt to the learner as each student accesses the curriculum and moves forward. Students set the pace and take responsibility for the learning process. https://www.bluebeepals.com/special-needs/
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by Laura Jiencke | Jan 15, 2019 | Bluebee News |
What is Pathways Strategic Teaching Center?
Pathways Strategic Teaching Center located in Coventry, Rhode Island is a comprehensive education and treatment program servicing children with autism and related disorders. Founded in 1998 through a collaborative effort between Trudeau a human service organization and local parents of children with autism, Pathways is committed to utilizing scientifically validated teaching strategies to improve the lives of children with autism and their families. The organization is Pathways Strategic Teaching Center, a division of The Trudeau Center. The school is for students with special needs, aged 3-22, who are diagnosed with Autism and other related disorders. Students are instructed based on the principles of Applied Behavioral Analysis and receive speech/language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, adapted physical education, and other support services as needed.https://trudeaucenter.org/pathways-strategic-teaching-center/
Bluebee Pal Project and Autism
The founder of Bluebee Pals, Laura Jiencke met Megan Broz (Assistive Technology Professional) at the November Boston ASHA Conference and discussed Pathways Strategic Teaching Centers participating in the Bluebee Pals Project. Ms. Broz works with children with Autism in preschool classrooms and requested the opportunity for her staff to utilize Bluebee Pals as an assistive technology tool in a variety of speech/language and occupational therapy programs.
Pathways Strategic School
As a school for children with Autism and developmental delays, we are always seeking new and motivating ways to engage our students. During classroom groups facilitated by speech pathology and occupational therapy, our students were all introduced to Bluebee pals – and it was a hit! Students were following directions given by Lily the Lamb, dressing her for the season, and interacting with both her and others in the classroom. Some students requested to have more time with Lily and enjoyed exploring ways to “play” with her. Students of all ages found ways to interact with Bluebee pals, many demonstrating increased motivation in and attention to the activities. Bluebee was not a replacement for the people involved, just a support to the human interactions that were already occurring. It was great, and we are continuing to develop activities to use with Bluebee pals! We are also really excited to explore the Bluebee Pal App!
Meghan K. Broz, M.S., CCC-SLP, ATP: Pathways Strategic Teaching Center-Coventry, Rhode Island
by Laura Jiencke | Dec 30, 2018 | Bluebee News |
Bluebee Pals Receives 2018 New York Award
New York Award Program Honors the Achievement
NEW YORK December 23, 2018 — Bluebee Pals has been selected for the 2018 New York Award in the Onlne Toy Store category by the New York Award Program.
Each year, the New York Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the New York area a great place to live, work and play.
Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2018 New York Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the New York Award Program and data provided by third parties.
About New York Award Program
The New York Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the New York area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.
The New York Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to recognize the small business community’s contributions to the U.S. economy.
SOURCE: New York Award Program
CONTACT:
New York Award Program
Email: PublicRelations@awardedlocal.org
URL: http://www.awardedlocal.org
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by Laura Jiencke | Dec 18, 2018 | Bluebee News |
Mott Road Elementary School speech-language pathologist Jacqueline Cullen introduces the plush BluebeePal, Parker the Monkey, a student by speaking into an iPad microphone. The interactive learning tool is not only soft and cuddly, it also captures attention and enhances learning experiences by moving its head and mouth to relay recorded messages, talk, read, sing and play games with children.
Meet the Bluebee Pals: Soft, fuzzy and huggable, these stuffed animals are helping Fayetteville-Manlius elementary students with autism engage and focus while in the classroom. Through an existing partnership with researchers from Boston Children’s Hospital, the Fayetteville-Manlius School District was asked to collaborate on a study to determine if students diagnosed with autism are more focused and attentive following directions from an adult or a Bluebee Pal. In June 2018, the district received a donation of 10 Bluebee Pals from LauraJiencke, CEO and founder of Kayle Concepts, through the company’s Bluebee Pals Project, a nonprofit organization that donates the cuddly characters to be used as an assistive technology tool to enhance speech therapy and special education instruction.
The 13-inch tall stuffed animals equipped with state-of-the-art technology connect with apps through smartphones, tablets, laptops or any Bluetooth-enabled device. Their mouths and heads move while they read stories and sing songs, engaging young students and assisting teachers with instruction. “Who doesn’t love a stuffed animal that is soft and cuddly?” said Lisa Miori-Dinneen, F-M’s assistant superintendent for special services. “I think it’s innovative to pair it with technology to engage and motivate children’s learning while providing comfort at the same time.” The district’s speech and special education teachers in each of the district’s three elementary schools are informally using the Bluebee.
So far, the Bluebees have proven to be a motivating tool, said Mrs. Miori-Dinneen. Children on the autism spectrum typically lack eye contact and engagement, but videos of the F-M students using the Bluebees show them intently watching the Bluebees’ mouths move, holding them closely to their ears to listen to them talk and following the directives the Bluebees give, such as touching a specific image on an iPad screen.https://www.bluebeepals.com/#
“It’s definitely novel and a nice enhancement to engage kids in instructional activities,” Mrs. Miori-Dinneen said. Recently at Mott Road Elementary School, speech-language pathologist Jacqueline Cullen used an iPad microphone app and a Bluebee to relay a set of directions to a student. The student watched and listened to the Bluebee, then immediately followed the directions to stand up and clap three times. The Bluebee also read an e-book displayed on the iPad and asked the students questions about the pictures on the screen. “Since the inception of the Bluebee Pals Project in 2015, Bluebee Pals have become an effective assistive technology tool for therapists and educators in obtaining language and educational goals with children with autism,” Jiencke said. “We are thrilled the FayettevilleManlius School District has utilized Bluebee Pals in its classrooms and the positive impact they provide as a creative learning tool in achieving communication and educational objectives.”
The Bluebees project is in addition to two other research projects the district is participating in with Dr. Howard Shane, a Harvard Medical School associate professor and director of the Center of Communication Enhancement at Boston’s Children’s Hospital. (VIS) is a communication method that uses visual supports-such as videos, pictures, and iPads-to enhance and expand the language and communication skills of students diagnosed with autism.Just in Time (]IT) instruction focuses on the effects of language and behavior of children with autism when directives are delivered through wearable technology, such as an Apple watch. F-M is the first and only school district that Dr. Shane and his colleagues have worked with.
ARTICLE Published: Fayetteville Manlius School District Newsletter Fall 2018
by Laura Jiencke | Dec 17, 2018 | Bluebee News |
The iMums wanted to share their favorite Christmas holiday-themed apps favorites with you
Charlie Brown Christmas by Loud Crow Interactive is a real taste of nostalgia – featuring both the pictures and audio from the classic Christmas movie, with the addition of narration by Peter Robbins, who was the original voice of Charlie Brown. You can switch the narration on or off and the text is highlighted as it is read. The original music from the movie plays in the background and a nice feature is that you can control the music volume independently of the narration. Version 2.0 of the app added the director’s cut as a free in-app purchase. I would recommend installing this before starting to use the app as it adds 4 scenes, 2 activities, and an extra carol.
The Bernstein Bears and The Nutcracker by OceanHouse Media have been released just in time for the holidays. In this story Brother, Sister, and Honey open their presents on Christmas morning. Among their presents is a Nutcracker Bear which Papa reminds them is from The Nutcracker ballet they saw on TV. At first, the cubs weren’t too interested in it, choosing instead to play with their new toys. It didn’t take very long for the cubs to get bored. With plenty of time before dinner, Papa suggests they entertain themselves by using their imagination. The cubs think this is a splendid idea and soon find themselves lost in the world of The Nutcracker.
Merry Christmas Mom and Dad- Little Critter by Oceanhouse Media, Little Critter attempts to make Christmas special for his Mom and Dad. He tries different things such as making cookies, picking out a Christmas tree, and wrapping presents, but each time the results are not quite what he was hoping for. Even though Little Critter messes up at everything he tries, you can’t help but fall in love with him. He is charming and funny as he explains what he did and what happened when he did it. My kid and I really enjoyed this story.
Santa’s Suit is Missing by Ginger Whale Apps is a story about Christmas Eve and it is snowing at the North Pole. It is your first day in Santa’s workshop, but all the work is done, the presents are packed, and the other elves are sleeping. You are feeling disappointed to have missed all the fun, when suddenly your Santa Phone beeps – Santa needs you!! Santa has lost his suit and needs a new one before he heads off to deliver the presents. You rush to the village to find him the perfect outfit. What will you get first? Boots? A hat? A suit? There are lots to choose from, will you get him a traditional Santa outfit or something different? Maybe a ballerina outfit or an astronaut suit? A Jester’s outfit or your own unique combination? Once you made your choices you take the suit back to Santa – but what will he think? You’ll have to read Santa’s Suit is a missing story to find out.
Tacky’s Christmas by OceanHouse Media is a seasonal offering in the popular Tacky the Penguin series of books written by Helen Lester and illustrated by Lynn Munsinger, and brought to the app store by Oceanhouse Media. The story tells the tale of Christmas in Nice Icy Land. The penguins are busy choosing and wrapping gifts. Sadly, in Nice Icy Land Santa doesn’t visit (you may need to explain to your children why Tacky is pretending to be Santa), so Tacky has volunteered to dress up as Santa. The friends are also busy making Christmas ornaments and singing carols when they realise there are no trees to hang their ornaments on. Tacky volunteers to help out by being both Santa and the tree (at the same time). As usual with Tacky, things don’t quite go to plan, but he ends up saving the day and everyone has a Happy Christmas. Tacky is an odd bird, but a nice bird to have around – especially at Christmas.
’Twas The Night Before Christmas by BlackFish is a traditional version of ’Twas The Night Before Christmas, with fun interactive elements, seasonal music and sound effects this is well worth downloading. I like the ability to customize the book and to record your own narration and that you get it both as a stand alone book and in the bookshelf app. Overall, if you are looking for a nice traditional version of ’Twas The Night Before Christmas, illustrations with a warm, cozy feel, fun interactive elements, seasonal music, and sound effects this is well worth downloading. I like the ability to customize the book and to record your own narration. I also like that you can choose to have it as either a stand alone book or in the bookshelf app (without having to buy it twice) and that the two link up seamlessly. I would also recommend checking out the Blackfish children’s Bookstore app and downloading the free books to check them out.
Cookie Doodle by Shoe the Goose is a virtual cookie shop without the mess! Do you enjoy decorating cookies with your family? Cookie Doodle by Shoe the Goose is a universal app where children make a recipe, bake and then decorate a virtual cookie with none of the mess associated with baking at home. The app features 24, over 200 cookie cutters, photo cookie dough, and 85 different toppings. You can practice recipes with tasks like naming the various objects in the recipe, sifting, rolling, mixing and using cookie cutters to shape the cookies. The recipes can be used in real life to make cookies and help your child practice naming items, measuring, sequencing and fine motor skills.
Five Little Monkeys Christmas by Loeschware is a Christmas themed app featuring my favorite little Monkeys!
The app features an interactive counting game with a musical touch based upon the popular nursery rhyme. This app helps toddlers and preschoolers practice early literacy skills with word highlighting, repetition, addition and subtraction practicing early math skills and of course lots of fun. The app features three different musical scores including, “rock”, “country” and “pop”. This is perfect to work on counting, expressive and receptive language as well as a fun way to learn!
A Very Yo Gabba Gabba! Christmas by Cupcake Digital a universal app for iOS that features five mini games within the app including building a snowman with accessories, making a Christmas tree complete with ornaments, creating and dancing with gingerbread men, making your own holiday drinks including the addition of whipped cream, sprinkles, and other treats, and making snow globes with friends from within the app! As you complete the various activities your creations are displayed on the screen along with the sleigh. This app is designed for preschool through early elementary school.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Learn & Play by Oceanhouse MediaEvery page is a present waiting to be unwrapped, a present given such careful thought, it is guaranteed to delight and bring a smile to its recipient. This highly interactive app brings a beloved Dr. Seuss Christmas book to life with outstanding narration and excellent animations. It tells the story of a Grinch who hates Christmas so much he decided he would stop it from happening in a town called Whoville. He thought that he could accomplish this by taking everything away that was related to Christmas such as presents, Christmas trees, and decorations. To his surprise, his scheme did not work. The spirit of Christmas, you see, was not found in the physical things that represent it, but inside people’s hearts. What a beautiful lesson to learn and remember this holiday! Emergent readers will enjoy the Read To Me and Auto Play options where words are highlighted as the narrator reads the story.
by Laura Jiencke | Nov 19, 2018 | Bluebee News |
The ASHA Convention is the premier annual professional education event for speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists. Bringing together approximately 15,000 attendees, the Annual Convention provides unparalleled opportunities to hear the latest research and gain new skills and resources to advance your career. More than 300 unique businesses exhibit each year, making the ASHA Convention an exceptional one-stop opportunity for attendees to find practical solutions and for exhibitors to reach ASHA members and related professionals.
NEW 4.0 Bluebee Pal Pro is an interactive plush learning tool with a FREE companion (life skills /educational app) that connects to all iOS and Android Devices and pairs with all apps with a narrative. Our patented technology allows Bluebee’s “mouth and head” to move while reading stories, teaching through educational games, learning a language and singing songs.
The Bluebee Pals Learning App is a robust life skill and cognitive development tool for children ages 3 to 7. When connected to a Bluebee Pal, children can immerse themselves in activities in five life skills’ rooms and play 9 educational mini-games. In addition to our app, Bluebee Pals pair with all apps with a narrative providing endless entertainment and education for all mainstream and special needs children.
The Bluebee Pal Project featured a booth of the NEW Bluebebe Pal Pro Tech Buddies and Life/Style Companion App!
https://www.bluebeepals.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Speech-Therapits-Bluebee-Pals.pdf?x24864
