Baile na Mata: Ceathrú na gCodán – A Groundbreaking Irish Language Mathematics Resource
Date Posted: January 21, 2025
Baile na Mata: Ceathrú na gCodán – Áis Úrnua Cheannródaíoch don Mhatamaitic
Bhailigh oideachasóirí agus páirtithe leasmhara inniu i gColáiste Ollscoile Naomh Muire, Béal Feirste, leis an lainseáil de Bhaile na Mata: Ceathrú na gCodán a cheiliúradh. Is áis dhigiteach nuálach é seo atá deartha le cuidiú le daltaí sa Ghaeloideachas bheith ag foghlaim faoi na codáin as Gaeilge. Tá réimse d’áiseanna digiteacha ann don Ghaeloideachas a chuidíonn leis an Litearthacht, ach níl an oiread chéanna acmhainní ar fáil sna hábhair eile, sa Mhatamaitic agus san Eolaíocht go háirithe. Agus muid ag dul i ngleic leis an staid éagothrom seo, is céim mhór chun tosaigh é Baile na Mata, a thugann deis do dhaltaí bheith ag foghlaim faoi agus ag déanamh cleachtadh ar na codáin ina dteanga dhúchais.
Tá Baile na Mata cruthaithe ag Seedling Learning trí chomhoibriú le Roinn na Gaeilge, CCEA agus leis an Áisaonad i gColáiste Ollscoile Naomh Muire. Tá Baile na Mata ag teacht le Curaclam Thuaisceart Éireann. San áis seo, tá ocht bpríomhaonad foghlama, a chlúdaíonn bunús na hoibre ar an téama seo i Rang 6. Tá na haonaid eile le teacht amach sa bhliain acadúil 2025-26. Is topaic thar a bheith tábhachtach iad na Codáin in Eochairchéim 2. Tríd an topaic seo, bíonn na daltaí ag foghlaim go leor téarmaíochta úire casta sa Mhatamaitic, rud a bheas mar dhúshraith acu agus iad ag leanúint ar aghaidh le staidéar san ábhar seo.
Dúirt Ciarán Ó Pronntaigh ón Áisaonad:
“Bhí lúchair orainn treoir a thabhairt i bhforbairt Bhaile na Mata. Tá sé ríthábhachtach ábhar trí mheán na Gaeilge a chur ar fáil do mhúinteoirí sa Ghaeloideachas do gach ábhar. Cluinimid go minic go mbíonn ar mhúinteoirí tiontú ar áiseanna i mBéarla don Mhatamaitic nó don Eolaíocht, rud a chuireann isteach go mór ar fhoghlaim na téarmaíochta sna hábhair sin. Taimid ag dúil go mór le bheith ag leanúint leis an chomhoibriú ar an togra nua tábhachtach seo.”
Thug Ciste Craoltóireachta na Gaeilge an maoiniú don tionscnamh seo, chomh maith le tacaíocht chomhchineáil ó CCEA agus ón Áisaonad.
Ta pleananna ag Seedling Learning curaclam iomlán na Matamaitice in Eochairchéim 2 a chlúdach i mBaile na Mata. Léiríonn seo an tiomantas atá ag Seedling Learning do chur chun cinn an Ghaeloideachais trí áiseanna digiteacha nuálacha a dhearadh.
Baile na Mata: Ceathrú na gCodán – A Groundbreaking Irish Language Mathematics Resource
Educators and stakeholders gathered today at St. Mary’s University College Belfast to celebrate the launch of Baile na Mata: Ceathrú na gCodán (Math Town: Fractions Quarter), a pioneering digital resource designed to enable pupils in Irish Medium Education to learn fractions “as Gaeilge”. While there are many digital literacy resources for Irish Medium schools, there is a lack of materials in other subjects, particularly Mathematics and Science. Baile na Mata is a vital step in addressing this imbalance, enabling pupils to master fractions in their native language.
The project was funded by Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund, with additional in-kind support from CCEA and An tÁisaonad.
Developed by Seedling Learning in collaboration with the Irish Medium Department in CCEA and An tÁisaonad at St. Mary’s University College Belfast, Baile na Mata aligns with the Northern Ireland curriculum. The resource features eight key learning units covering most of Primary 6, with the remaining content due for release during the 2025-26 academic year. Fractions, a crucial topic in the late-primary curriculum, introduces pupils to complex mathematical language that forms the foundation for future studies.
Ciarán Ó Pronntaigh of An tÁisaonad remarked:
“We were excited to guide the development of Baile na Mata. We often hear from teachers who must resort to using English resources in their Maths and Science lessons which adversely impacts the learning of the Irish terminology in those subjects. It is hugely important to provide teachers with Irish Language-authored content within Irish Medium learning. We are looking forward to further collaborating on this important new initiative.”
With plans to cover the entire Key Stage 2 Mathematics curriculum, Baile na Mata demonstrates Seedling Learning’s commitment to enriching Irish Medium Education through innovative digital resources.
Más maith leat a thuilleadh eolais, dean teagmháil le/ For further information, please contact:
Róisín Maguire
Seedling Learning
18 Ormeau Avenue
Belfast BT2 8HS
