Latest News Archive
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News Items
| 2022-01-28 |
Prof Smit elected as member of prestigious American Association for Thoracic Surgery |
| 2022-01-28 |
Prof Smit elected as member of prestigious American Association for Thoracic Surgery |
| 2022-01-28 |
Opinion: Ramaphosa vs Sisulu scold war: Winning hearts and minds of constituents |
| 2022-01-28 |
Opinion: Ramaphosa vs Sisulu scold war: Winning hearts and minds of constituents |
| 2022-01-27 |
“I will never stop creating,” says filmmaker, Mpendulo Myeni |
| 2022-01-27 |
“I will never stop creating,” says filmmaker, Mpendulo Myeni |
| 2022-01-27 |
UFS made steady progress in its research performance over the past five years |
| 2022-01-27 |
UFS made steady progress in its research performance over the past five years |
| 2022-01-26 |
UFS extends its condolences on the passing of Theological giant, Prof Jaap Durand |
| 2022-01-26 |
UFS extends its condolences on the passing of Theological giant, Prof Jaap Durand |
| 2022-01-26 |
UFS proud of remarkable 2021 Free State NSC matric results |
| 2022-01-26 |
UFS proud of remarkable 2021 Free State NSC matric results |
| 2022-01-24 |
Dr Bekithemba Dube advancing decoloniality agenda beyond African borders |
| 2022-01-24 |
Dr Bekithemba Dube advancing decoloniality agenda beyond African borders |
| 2022-01-21 |
New Director for Innovation and Contracts ready to engage and support researchers |
| 2022-01-21 |
New Director for Innovation and Contracts ready to engage and support researchers |
| 2022-01-20 |
UFS United Kingdom Chapter aims to reconnect with alumni |
| 2022-01-20 |
UFS United Kingdom Chapter aims to reconnect with alumni |
| 2022-01-20 |
Mercia Geises – from UFS student to Chief Executive of Standard Bank Namibia |
| 2022-01-20 |
Mercia Geises – from UFS student to Chief Executive of Standard Bank Namibia |
| 2022-01-20 |
Multilingualism initiatives gaining momentum |
| 2022-01-20 |
Multilingualism initiatives gaining momentum |
| 2022-01-19 |
Yes, Mmusi, but all begins with reconfiguring the South African curriculum |
| 2022-01-19 |
Yes, Mmusi, but all begins with reconfiguring the South African curriculum |
| 2022-01-18 |
MBA at 73 – more to come for Prof Andries Stulting |
| 2022-01-18 |
MBA at 73 – more to come for Prof Andries Stulting |
| 2022-01-10 |
Miratho project finds universities could do more to enable black working-class students to participate and succeed |
| 2022-01-10 |
Miratho project finds universities could do more to enable black working-class students to participate and succeed |
| 2022-01-13 |
Zondo Commission findings: A permanent change in SA politics |
| 2022-01-13 |
Zondo Commission findings: A permanent change in SA politics |
| 2022-01-10 |
How UFS research assists teachers in identifying children who need developmental help |
| 2022-01-10 |
How UFS research assists teachers in identifying children who need developmental help |
| 2022-01-03 |
Magic mushrooms, a first formal study |
| 2022-01-03 |
Magic mushrooms, a first formal study |
| 2022-01-03 |
A passion for excellence |
| 2022-01-03 |
A passion for excellence |
| 2022-01-03 |
UFS implements interventions to increase diversity of researchers |
| 2022-01-03 |
UFS implements interventions to increase diversity of researchers |
| 2022-01-10 |
Dr Mpumelelo Ncube driven by the need to succeed and inspire |
| 2022-01-10 |
Dr Mpumelelo Ncube driven by the need to succeed and inspire |
| 2022-01-03 |
Aoate Tsimatsima leads student-sourcing antibiotic discovery network |
| 2022-01-03 |
Aoate Tsimatsima leads student-sourcing antibiotic discovery network |
Largest group on African continent introduced to Sign Language
2016-07-05
The introduction of basic Sign Language
as part of the UFS101 course was a great
success. From left are Susan Lombaard,
Annemarie le Roux, Tshisikhawe Dzivhani
(all from the Department of South African
Sign Language), and Lauren Oosthuizen
(UFS101). Photo: Leonie Bolleurs
As a result of a new initiative at the University of the Free State (UFS), the largest group of students on the African continent took part in a first-year seminar which included Sign Language.
A total of 5400 students on the Bloemfontein Campus and 1000 on Qwaqwa Campus were taught basic Sign Language by Susan Lombaard, Acting Head of the Department of South African Sign Language, and her team members, Tshisikhawe Dzivhani, Annemarie le Roux, and Nicolene de Klerk.
It forms part of the UFS101 module presented to all first-year students. The initiative, begun in the first semester of 2016, will form part of UFS101 in future and was met with an overwhelmingly positive response.
Three segments of course
Sign Language was taught in three segments and positioned as large-class learning experiences in the Callie Human Centre (Bloemfontein Campus) and the Nelson Mandela Hall (Qwaqwa Campus). Students were taught about deaf culture, Sign Language theory, as well as how to sign their names, exchange pleasantries, and have a basic conversation.
A valuable skill to have
“It (the Sign Language experience) was very interesting and helpful,” said one of the students. “It is important to have the ability to communicate with all sorts of people, and to be able to help them in a crisis”. According to another, it sparked an interest in Sign Language. “It is a skill I will continue to use and try to learn more from it,” said a third.
Lombaard – in collaboration with the UFS101 team – will be presenting a paper related to this achievement at the DeafNet Africa Conference in Johannesburg, from 26 to 30 September 2016.