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22 November 2023 | Story EDZANI NEPHALELA

The Academy for Multilingualism invites papers for the upcoming Third International Translanguaging Symposium in the Global South from 26 to 28 March 2024. 

This symposium in the Global South aims to provide a space for international, continental, and national scholars, academics, practitioners, researchers, and postgraduate students with a kin interest in translanguaging to share their high-quality research and reflect on the critique, contradictions, challenges, complexities, and opportunities proffered by translanguaging. 

The symposium seeks to disrupt the characterisation of the periphery within the university space through the following sub-themes:

  • Translanguaging and Social Justice
  • Translanguaging and Teaching Learning
  • Translanguaging and Ubuntu Translanguaging Pedagogies
  • Translanguaging and Decoloniality
  • Translanguaging and Language Policy
  • Translanguaging and Globalisation
  • Translanguaging and Multilingualism
  • Translanguaging and Educational Equity, Access, and Success
  • Translanguaging and Literacy in Education
  • Translanguaging and Curriculum
  • Translanguaging and Assessment

Please submit an abstract of 250-300 words by 31 December 2023 to AfM@ufs.ac.za; the registration fee is R1 500. 

News Archive

UFS Sign Language expert appointed to a national government committee
2010-05-13

Photo: Mangaliso Radebe


The National Department of Basic Education has appointed the Head of the Department of Afro-Asiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice at the University of the Free State (UFS), Mr Philemon Akach, to serve in its Curriculum Management Team.

“It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been appointed as a member of the Curriculum Management Team to manage the development of Sign Language as a subject to be listed in the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12,” the Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga, wrote in her letter to Mr Akach.

“I am excited, after mulling over this, saying that maybe this time around it may just work because, from experience, I can sensitise the other committee members on how to build in an implementation strategy right from the beginning,” said Mr Akach.

“Over the last 12 years we have implemented the proposed part of the curriculum for tertiary institutions at this university, so our input will be a practical one. We have not only theoretically proven it can be done but have developed multimedia teaching materials as a legacy to sustain the course as a permanent feature at this level. I will share this with the management to implement what is already working.”

He was a Director of Sign Language and Interpreting Development with the Deaf Federation of South Africa for three years (1996-1998). During that time he directed the development of the South African Sign Language (SASL) curriculum as a school subject from Grades 0-12, as well as SASL as a second language, and a proposal to tertiary institutions on what they should take note of, should they considered introducing SASL as an academic course. All of these were handed over to the Department of Education in 1997.

“Committees are a good tool to write proposals but if there is no policing of the implementation, not much seems to work,” he said.

Media Release:
Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt@ufs.ac.za  
12 May 2010
 

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