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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

Nkanyezi Talk @UFS looks at gender in the 21st century

2013-08-28

Lively debates and conversations as students discuss the topic of gender in the 21st century.
28 August 2013
Photo: Linda Fekisi

Students gathered at the CR Swart Senate Hall for the second Nkanyezi Talk @UFS dialogue session. Nkanyezi Talk @UFS is a student initiative that gives students a platform to voice their thoughts and ideas about issues affecting them during and after their university life.

The August-inspired topic, Gender in the 21st century, focused mainly on women. The talk looked at women in the workplace, the role that the media plays in redefining women and how South Africans can integrate the works of theorists on gender into their everyday lives.

A panel of guest speakers included Ace Moloi, former news editor of the Irawa student newspaper at the University of the Free State and News24 contributor, Leah Molatseli, an associate attorney at Phatshoane Henney Attorneys, and Bongi Tsoleli, who is the chairperson of a portfolio in the Free State Legislature.

“We need to take own initiative as students. We need to understand what they want, as well as the issues they are confronted with,” says Bongani Zwane, founder member of Nkanyezi Talk.

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