Maggie Forsyth-Deeds is the Coordinator of Speech and Language Services at the Rock Brook School in Skillman, New Jersey. She has over 20 years experience working with students that have special needs and is dually certified as a Speech Language Pathologist and Teacher of the Handicapped.
Rock Brook School is a private, not for profit school for Communication Impaired and Multiply Disabled children from ages 5 to 21. Some medical diagnoses of children who have been helped by their program have included: Language Learning Disorders; Autistic Spectrum Disorders; Hearing Impairment; Seizure Disorders; Pervasive Developmental Delay and other disabilities secondary to various syndromes.
“I prefer an eclectic approach to instruction as it allows me to incorporate individualized programming for the unique needs of my very heterogeneous group of learners”.
Maggie works in what she describes as a very ‘tech savvy environment’. Each classroom is fitted with two personal computers, two iPads, a SMART Board; Lightspeed Technologies Redcat Audio Classroom amplification system and personal FM systems. There is also a dedicated Technology room with additional iPads, new laptop computers, as well as a touch screen personal computer.
“Although we have access to lots of great technology, the ‘challenge’ within a school like Rock Brook is finding the most optimum way for students to access the technology, engage with it and use it meaningfully. The overarching goal is to ultimately generalize the skills to other environments.”
Due to the nature of her job, Maggie is constantly on the lookout for current trends in technology and came across Biteslide during a research session online. After a quick use of the demo version she says she was instantly sold with the service meeting the needs of her students as well as meeting the flexibility and lesson management requirements she has as a teacher.
“I found the interface to be colorful, engaging and capable of fostering my students in using the program independently over time. As a teacher, I found the dashboard to be exactly what I needed to manage my various classes, students and different levels of projects. It is a great tool for teachers as it’s flexibility allows it to be worked into almost any aspect of lesson planning, curriculums and/or classroom activities ”
Maggie found that Biteslide’s research tools removed the ‘daunting’ and sometimes ‘overwhelming’ nature of research, allowing her students to get instant gratification when compiling their images and videos through the web to put their work together.
“Biteslide provides the students with the tools to complete research without it really feeling like ‘research’. I quickly decided that Biteslide would serve my students best in creating and presenting their end of the year projects”
With its endless creative possibilities and user-friendly interface, her students are able to express themselves through the Biteslide platform with ease which is having a positive impact in the classroom.
“Its dynamic display fosters engagement in my students, helping to keep their interest and thereby increasing overall participation”
In the future Maggie can see an implemtentation of Biteslide into the newly created High School Program as way for students to create social stories and daily schedules related to the “Activities of Daily Living” that drive the High School programming.
And this is what Maggie’s class is saying about Biteslide…
“Biteslide is a fun project because you can choose any topic you like.”
Ian
“Biteslide is awesome. I like the Google images and video clips”
Dominick
“I liked making the Biteslides and using my own pictures from home.”
Kyle
“I made my Biteslide by picking pictures, backgrounds and text.”
Kris
Here’s a few examples of Maggie’s students’ Biteslide school project work:
If you like think that Biteslide could help you and your students, please sign up for your 30-day free trial now.
