The Department of General Linguistics at Stellenbosch University
invites you to a colloquium on
Academic Issues and Challenges in Sign Language Linguistics
17 October 2014, 8.30 to 14.00, at STIAS, Stellenbosch
Programme:
8.15 - 8.45:
8.45 - 9.00:
9.00 - 9.45:
9.45 - 10.30:
10:30 - 10.40:
10.40 - 11.05:
11.05 - 11.45:
11.45 - 12.10:
12.10 - 12.50:
12.50 - 13.10:
13.10 - 13.15:
13.15 - 14.00:
Registration (with coffee/tea and rusks)
Welcome and opening (Johan Hattingh, Dean: Arts and Social Sciences)
Recent developments in sign language research (Anne Baker)
Colonisation of sign languages on the African continent (Philemon Akach)
Computer-based teaching of sign languages: Giving students the feedback they need (Hennie de
Villiers)
Coffee/Tea
Classifiers in SASL: Formational features and grammatical function (Naomi Janse van Vuuren)
The new South African Sign Language curriculum for schools (Minna Steyn)
Measuring language development in a sign language (Anne Baker)
25 years of research in South African Sign Language: An overview and future directions (Naomi
Janse van Vuuren)
Closing remarks (Johan Oosthuizen, Department of General Linguistics)
Lunch
Presenters:
Prof Anne Baker (University of Amsterdam):
Emeritus professor of Sign Linguistics; Founder and former President of the International Sign Language
Linguistics Society; Member of Advisory Board for the Dutch Sign Centre; Main editor of Sign Linguistics - An
Introduction (to appear, Wiley).
Dr Philemon Akach (University of the Free State):
Senior lecturer and departmental chair of South African Sign Language; Research interests: Sign languageEnglish bilingualism and bi-cultural education approach in Deaf Education; sociolinguistics.
Dr Hennie de Villiers (Stellenbosch University):
Lecturer (Computer Science Division); Research interests: Computer vision, natural language processing and
machine learning.
Naomi Janse van Vuuren (Department of South African Sign Language, University of Witwatersrand):
Lecturer (2003-present); Teacher of Deaf children (1992-2003); Deaf Federation of South Africa: National Task
Group – SASL Curriculum Development, Education Task Team; National Education Consultant (2004 – 2005);
Interpreter for Deaf-blind people; Sign language researcher.
Minna Steyn (Western Cape Department of Education):
Deputy Chief Education Specialist responsible for Deaf, Autism and hospital schools; Project manager: South
African Sign Language school curriculum.
Venue:
Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), Wallenberg Research Centre, 10 Marais Street, Stellenbosch
Downloadable map: http://stias.ac.za/location-and-map/
Enquiries: Frenette Southwood (fs@sun.ac.za; 021 808 2010)