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13 August 2019 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Supplied
Prof Albert Weideman
Prof Albert Weideman has designed language tests for South African institutions as well as universities in Namibia, Vietnam, Singapore, the Netherlands, and Australia
Prof Albert Weideman became involved in language testing in the 1980s and almost 40 years later, the South African Association for Language Teaching (SAALT) has now honoured him with a Lifetime Achievement Award for “his contribution to research and practice in applied linguistics, test design, and curriculum development in academic literacy”.

“It’s a wonderful honour to be recognised in one’s field in this way and I am humbled by the many congratulatory messages I have received from as far afield as the Netherlands, the US and Australia,” says Prof Weideman, senior research fellow in the Department of South African Sign Language and Deaf Studies at the University of the Free State (UFS). 

“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,” he said upon receiving the award at the SAALT conference which was held at the University of Pretoria recently. 

Pioneer in the field of language assessment 

“His creative designs have enhanced the quality of academic literacy tests in South Africa,” says Prof Theodorus du Plessis, head of the Department of South African Language and Deaf Studies. The language courses which Prof Weideman has developed have been used at beginner, intermediate and advanced level, as well as for introducing teachers to innovations in language teaching.

During his career Prof Weideman has witnessed an interesting change in the assessment of language: “The focus of language testing has shifted from testing the so-called ‘skills’ of reading, writing, listening and speaking, to measuring communicative ability,” he says. 

He is very excited about the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on language teaching, specifically when it comes to “computer adaptive language testing, and language-course delivery in a multiplicity of new media.”


News Archive

Amphitheatre to energise student life on the Qwaqwa Campus
2015-06-11

The Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State is one of the fastest-growing rural campuses.

Since 2010, the campus has, among other things, built two new student residences, which provide accommodation for an additional 500 students. The old disused boiler room, which was used as a storeroom, has been converted into much-needed ablution and dressing room facilities at the sports fields.  The Faculty of Education now boasts a Technology, Engineering Graphics and Design Education laboratory. The project was funded by the Department of Higher Education and Training.

One of the student priorities is a common space in the form of an open amphitheatre in front of the library.

‘’The amphitheatre is a highly-welcomed structure on our campus as it will provide students with an informal environment to study, socialise and meet,’’ said the Campus Principal, Prof Prakash Naidoo.

‘‘We have erected this on an existing space that was already used for outdoor launches and events on the campus, and is in line with our thinking of energising student life on campus. In addition, we have complemented this with the use of solar energy, so that students can just plug in and charge their phones and laptops while they are in the amphitheatre.”

Excited students, Chibi Mosia and Tshilidzi Matshavha, in final-year Chemistry and Chemistry Honours respectively, concurred that the amphitheatre is a good project for the campus.

‘‘It is an important and distinctive feature for the campus as it adds to the growth of our beautiful campus,’’ said Mosia.

‘’It will also enhance the use of alternative energy sources to reduce the campus's carbon footprint,’’ added Matshavha.

The project is worth almost R2,5 m, and took 12 months to complete. The Department of Higher Education and Training also provided the funds for this project.

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