About the LDESW

The second Biennial Workshop on Language Diversity in Educational Settings will be held from 19 to 20 November 2020 on a virtual platform and at the Mont d'Or Hotel in Clarens, South Africa (information about the venue here). The theme of this Workshop is “Making a Change through Sign Language' (Call for papers). It is organised by the Department of South African Sign Language and Deaf Studies (University of the Free State). The deadline for abstract submissions (http://linguistlist.org/easyabs/LDESW2020 or kongresetfb@ufs.ac.za) is 30 June 2020 and registrations close 14 October 2020.

The vision of the Language Diversity in Educational Settings Workshop is to promote research and promote the sharing of international expertise and collaboration on all aspects of language diversity in educational settings.

About Clarens

Clarens is a picturesque little town at the foothills of the Maluti Mountains, approximately 300 km from Johannesburg, Bloemfontein and Durban (3 to 4 hours’ driving). Delegates are responsible for their own transport and for booking their own accommodation. We recommend the free service provided by Mount Odyssey (odyssey@isat.co.za).

History of the LDESW

The Language Diversity in Educational Settings workshop stems from a joint project between the University of Namur (Belgium) and the University of the Free State (South Africa) between 2017 and 2018. The project aimed to advance the study of the practical management of language policy and planning processes in education through two pilot projects. The first was a project on promoting Belgian francophone sign language in a bilingual school in Namur and the second was a project on the promotion of language diversity at the University of the Free State. In 2018, the first LDESW was held in Clarens, Free State, where researchers received constructive feedback from the actors involved in the language programs in Namur and Bloemfontein.

LDESW aims to undertake and explore a more solid description and analysis of the practical dimension of language diversity management within multilingual, educational settings.

Organising committee

Wilmaré Terblanche
Workshop Coordinator
E: kongresETFB@ufs.ac.za
T: +27 51 401 9057

Prof Theodorus du Plessis
Host (HOD: South African Sign Language and Deaf Studies, UFS)

Scientific committee

• Anne Baker (Netherlands): Universiteit van Amsterdam
• Annalene van Staden (South Africa): University of the Free State
• Marga Stander (South Africa): Sol Plaatje University
• Myruim Vermeerbergen (Belguim): Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
• Talya Shemer-Etinger (Israel): Ariel University
• Theodorus du Plessis (South Africa): Head – SASLDS, University of the Free State