24 May 2013
A new educational app released by S4C has been welcomed by experts in the field of language development.
According to Dr Llion Jones, Director of Canolfan Bedwyr at Bangor University, S4C’s new Cyw a’r Wyddor app (Cyw and the Alphabet) will “contribute to nurturing linguistic and educational development of children in Wales.”
Cyw a’r Wyddor is one of two brand new apps released by S4C for the Channel’s younger viewers. The second app is called Gwylltio, for youngsters aged 7 to 13, and is an interactive wildlife app which leads us out in to the great outdoors to explore the wild plants and animals all around us. It coincides with a new TV series which starts on S4C in June.
Dr Llion Jones, Director of Canolfan Bedwyr, Bangor University’s Centre for Welsh Language Services, “The emphasis that S4C puts on producing Welsh language interactive educational resources is to be welcomed on all accounts. In terms of the language’s status and the perception of it, it’s essential that the Welsh language makes its mark on the latest digital platforms with attractive resources such as these. In a more practical sense, the new apps clearly demonstrate how it’s possible to harness the power of new technologies to contribute to the work of nurturing linguistic and educational development of children in Wales.”
Today (Friday 24 May) S4C visited Ysgol yr Hendre primary school in Caernarfon to show the new apps to some of the pupils. There to meet the pupils was Dona Direidi, a popular character on the Cyw service, and Rhys Bidder, presenter of the new Gwylltio TV series.
Also there to hear the children’s reaction was S4C’s Children’s Content Commissioner, Sioned Wyn Roberts. She said, “Expanding the Cyw and Stwnsh services across digital platforms is an important part of our work which places S4C at the centre of the lives of children and young people. The aim of these two new apps is to present educational subjects in a fun and relevant way. This generation has been brought up with the latest technology and it’s vital that the Welsh language and S4C play a role in these new developments, today and as we look to the future.”
The Cyw a’r Wyddor app (0-6 years) presents literacy in a fun and colourful way. With the help of the Criw Cyw characters - Cyw, Plwmp, Jangl, Llew, Deryn and Bolgi – we learn the sound and shape of the letters of the alphabet by singing along to the alphabet song and drawing the shape of the letters with our finger on the screen.
The interactive Gwylltio app (7-13 years) has been funded with the aid of the S4C Digital Fund. The aim of the app is to leads us out in to the great outdoors in search of wildlife that live all around us, with the help of fun and informative facts, pictures and video clips. In autumn, winter, spring and summer, wildlife is all around us – in the countryside and in our towns. The challenge is to find these creatures and plants and learn all about them.
Both apps are available to download for free from the App Store. There you will also find other S4C apps, games and e-books.
And with the 2013 Urdd Eisteddfod upon us, parents can keep up with the latest events and news on the field with the free App yr Urdd. It contains timetables, menus, a map of the field and much more.
Ends
Notes:
The Cyw a’r Wyddor app is available free for iPhone, iPad and iPod.
It will be available for Android devices soon.
The app is developed by Boom Plant and Cube Interactive.
The Gwylltio app is available only for iPad, and is free from the App Store.
The app is developed by Mint Motion, Rantmedia and Aden.
The app was funded with the help of the S4C Digital Fund.
The TV series Gwylltio is produced by Aden for S4C. The series begins on Monday 17 June at 6.05pm and is presented by Rhys Bidder and Catherine Ayers.
App yr Urdd is available for free for iPod, iPad, iPhone and Android devices.
The app was developed by Moilin Cyf with the support of S4C.
Also new from S4C
E-book for children 0-6 years of age to buy from the App Store:
• Jini Jiraff y Llo Bach
• Carwen Carw y Fran Fach Arw
