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Donovan Wright: ‘Teaching South African Sign Language is my great passion’

23 September 2022 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Rulanzen Martin

Donovan Wright recently joined the University of the Free State (UFS) as a lecturer in the Department of South African Sign Language (SASL) and Deaf Studies. As a passionate young academic, Wright ‘found his love’ for SASL during his undergraduate years at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits).

In 2016, for the fulfilment of his master’s degree at Wits, Wright completed a thesis titled ‘A preliminary description of South African Sign Language syntax’. He is currently pursuing his PhD at Wits, and his research interests lie in the linguistics of SASL, which became his focus during his postgraduate studies. In his PhD research he focuses on (particular) constructions within SASL and how to best describe and analyse them. “I chose to use an approach to language and grammar not tied to how we perceive and understand spoken languages,” he says.

‘Teaching SASL is my great passion’

His appointment as a SASL lecturer at the UFS is a fulfilment of his passion for teaching. “Sign languages are commonly misunderstood and thought to be pantomime or gesture,” he says. “These common misconceptions are the first topic we tackle – whether by linguistic or social argument.” As a SASL linguistics lecturer he says it’s this aspect of the modules that is so rewarding, especially “seeing students realise something new about a sign they already know and have been using. Learning about language while learning a language has its benefits.”

Empowering students is about access

Wright says access to education is a fundamental right for every student, and that empowering Deaf scholars will ultimately improve how Deaf students access information at universities and elsewhere. “While many students attend university and access their education in a language that is not their mother tongue, Deaf students using SASL are additionally learning across modalities.”

September is designated as Deaf Awareness Month, with one important aim being to highlight and improve sign language education. The Department of South African Sign Language and Deaf Studies has planned numerous events and initiatives during this month, which will raise awareness and provide community education by visiting schools.

“The next step is ensuring an environment in which Deaf students who choose to pursue a career in academia are not hindered. Our Deaf students are our future Deaf academics,” Wright says.

• Members of the Department of South African Sign Language and Deaf Studies will, among other planned events, provide community interpreting services and visit schools in surrounding areas. This year the department is launching a university ‘Deaf Space’ where students, staff, or anyone wishing to engage in SASL can interact, provided you ‘leave your voice at the door’.

News Archive

New SRC constitution for UFS main campus agreed upon by all organisations

2005-07-20

University of the Free State Fact Sheet

1. The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) unanimously approved an amendment to the SRC constitution for the main campus to allow for the introduction of proportional representation (PR) alongside a first-past-the-post electoral system.

2. This decision was taken by the UFS Council on 10 June 2005 at the same meeting where it also approved the establishment of a Central SRC for the three campuses of the UFS.

3. The new main campus SRC constitution is the result of consensus reached during a lengthy negotiation process involving diverse student formations such as Sasco, the ANC Youth League, the Young Communist League, the ACDP, HEREXVII, KovsieAlliance, as well as the democratically elected SRC members of the main campus. Independent persons such as Mr Jack Klaas and Mr Kobus van Loggerenberg facilitated the negotiation process.

4. The consensus reached during this process, and the subsequent decision by Council, represent a major breakthrough for student governance and transformation of the UFS main campus and constitutes a legitimate basis for the democratic participation of all students at the UFS main campus in the governance of the university.

5. The introduction of the proportional representation system follows earlier calls by some student formations, notably Sasco and the ANC Youth League, for such a system to be introduced at the UFS main campus in Bloemfontein.

6. In terms of the amendments to the main campus SRC constitution, nine of the 18 SRC members are to elected by means of proportional representation and nine on the basis of an direct, first-past-the-post election.

7. The following portfolios of the main campus SRC will be contested by individual candidates on the basis of “first past the post”:
• president
• secretary
• academic affairs
• legal and constitutional affairs
• student development
• arts and culture
• men’s internal liaison
• ladies internal liaison
• media, marketing and liaison

8. The following nine portfolios will be contested by affiliated organizations on a proportional representation basis.
• two vice-presidents
• treasurer
• dialogue and associations
• transformation
• campus affairs and recreation
• sport
• international affairs
• community service

9. These two decisions regarding student governance represent a breakthrough in that, for the first time in many years, all SRC constitutional changes were processed and approved by the June meeting of the Council, well in time for the scheduled August SRC election; in addition, all relevant student organizations have been part of the process and all have accepted the outcome of the process.

20 July 2005

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