Lifetime award for UFS scholar

A singular award was made at the beginning of this month to a Senior Research Fellow of the Department of South African Sign Language and Deaf Studies at the University of the Free State. On 3 July, the South African Association for Language Teaching (SAALT) presented at its annual conference hosted by the University of Pretoria a lifetime award to Prof Albert Weideman “to honour his dedication and many achievements”. The award was made “in recognition of his contribution in research and practice to applied linguistics, test design, and curriculum development in academic literacy”.

Prof Weideman, a Professor of Applied Language Studies, has designed language tests for South African institutions, as well as for universities in Vietnam, Namibia, Singapore, the Netherlands, and Australia. His creative designs have enhanced the quality of academic literacy tests in South Africa. The language courses he has developed have been used at beginner, intermediate, and advanced level, as well as for introducing teachers to innovations in language teaching.

On accepting the award, Prof Weideman said: “I wish to dedicate it to the many dozens of MA students I have had, as well as to the many talented PhD students I have supervised.” Many of them now hold positions as directors or assistant directors of units for academic literacy, or of schools of language, at a number of universities.

The Free State Provincial Language Committee

Congratulations to one of our staff members, Emily Matabane, on being appointed to the Free State Provincial Language Committee for five years effective from 1 August 2019!

Umalusi News