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SASL Star: Annemarie Le Roux

22 September 2021 | Story Michelle Nöthling | Photo Supplied

“I love working with children.” This is one of the first things Annemarie le Roux mentions when asked to describe herself. This love for children propelled Annemarie into the field of education and she graduated in 2006 with a BEd in Foundation Phase at the UFS. Annemarie immediately immersed herself in the Deaf community, enriching the lives of children at the Thiboloha School for the Deaf in Qwaqwa and the De la Bat School for the Deaf in Worcester.

The academic world enticed Annemarie back to the University of the Free State (UFS) and she was appointed as a junior lecturer in the Department of South African Sign Language (SASL) and Deaf Studies in 2013. Going from strength to strength, Annemarie completed her master’s degree in SASL in 2019, and published an article earlier this year that she co-wrote with Marga Stander. In this article, they found that SASL “has become an increasingly popular language that hearing university students want to learn as a second language” and subsequently explored different teaching methods used for this emerging group of interested students.

Although now firmly established in academia, Annemarie is still committed to the practical application of SASL. “I am closely involved in student and community engagement through the SIGNALS Sign Language student association that helps empower the Deaf community and South African Sign Language.” She also interprets for the Deaf community whenever she gets an opportunity, as well as for Deaf students in class and meetings.

On the importance of Sign Language and the recognition of the Deaf community in South Africa, Annemarie believes it will open greater opportunities for development. “More people will be able to learn SASL, and it might even become a subject in school for hearing children.”

News Archive

Two Kovsies play sevens rugby for SA

2009-05-29

The University of the Free State (UFS) has two players in the South African Sevens Rugby Team. Robert Ebersohn, B Comm General Management student and Philip Snyman, B Agric student, have been wearing the green and gold since October 2008 and represented South Africa at a number of tournaments, amongst others in Dubai, George SA, Wellington New Zealand, San Diego in the USA, Hong Kong, Adelaide Australia, London England and Edinburgh in Scotland.

Both players played in the tournaments and their performance in the team was exceptional. The last match that Robert played was on Sunday, 24 May 2009 during the semi-final against New Zealand at Twickenham in England. He will miss the last match in Scotland because he will join the SA U-20 group to practice for the World Championships in Japan.

Four Kovsie rugby players represented the UFS in the South African Student Sevens Rugby team that toured France. They are Johan van Niekerk, Wouter Stieger, Lionel Cronjé and Marlin Ruiters. Due to a concussion Marlin could not join the tour.

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