SAALT Newsletter: May Edition
Language, Literacy, and Storytelling: Nurturing Young Minds Across Africa
As we look forward to 2025, we invite you to join us in celebrating the rich tapestry of languages that unite and define our African heritage. With over 2,000 languages spoken across the continent, Africa is a vibrant mosaic of linguistic diversity. This newsletter will explore the importance of preserving and promoting our languages, while also highlighting the ways in which they bring us together as a community. From cultural expression to social cohesion, language plays a vital role in shaping our identities and fostering unity. Let’s embark on this journey together, embracing the beauty and significance of Africa’s linguistic diversity.
In this newsletter, we share the details of some events that are not to be missed. If you have not already done so, save the date for our conference in July, taking place at Skukuza, Kruger National Park (more details below).
We would also like to encourage everyone to renew their SAALT membership for 2025. Members have access to an online profile and are also able to view our directory of expertise, i.e. members who indicated that they are willing to act as a journal article reviewer, external examiner, moderator, etc. Members also qualify for a 20% discount on page fees if they publish in the Journal for Language Teaching.
If you have missed the latest issue of the journal, visit https://www.journals.ac.za/jlt/index to read the articles published in this volume which follows a landmark special issue of the Journal for Language Teaching dedicated to articles written in African languages. It comprises a total of six articles written in English and one in isiZulu that continue to deal with matters that are pertinent to the issue of language teaching and development in current times.
Celebrating Book Day in South Africa: Igniting Young Minds through Children's Literature
By Joyce West
on 23 April, South Africa celebrated Book Day, a significant occasion dedicated to the joy of reading, the promotion of literacy, and the appreciation of diverse cultural narratives. This annual event highlighted children’s literature’s crucial role in educational development, language preservation, and fostering a lifelong passion for reading among young South Africans.
Can you remember your first storybook?
Which story has left you with lasting memories?
The Importance of Children’s Literature
Quality children’s literature is fundamental for cognitive and linguistic development, stimulating imagination, building vocabulary, and introducing children to various cultures and life perspectives. Within South Africa’s multilingual context, providing children with accessible reading material in their home languages is particularly critical. Evidence consistently shows that children learn best and develop stronger foundational literacy skills when taught in their mother tongue during the early educational stages.
However, for many children in South Africa, books—particularly those in indigenous African languages—remain out of reach due to affordability and availability constraints. Therefore, initiatives aimed at creating and disseminating free, open-access children’s literature are not just beneficial but essential.
Open Access Children’s Literature Initiatives
Several impactful initiatives have been making substantial strides towards bridging this literacy gap by providing open-access literature in South African languages:
- Ulwazi Lwethu has significantly increased access to children’s books by making more than 1,400 high-quality storybooks freely available online in nine indigenous languages, including isiZulu, Sesotho, and Xitsonga. Developed in collaboration with educators and linguistic experts, these resources support culturally relevant education and language development (org.za).
- Book Dash continues to operate on the belief that every child deserves access to abundant reading material. Through volunteer collaboration, Book Dash produces original African children’s stories that can be downloaded, printed, and distributed freely. The initiative strives to ensure every child can own at least 100 books by age five, addressing critical gaps in early literacy (org).
- African Storybook offers an extensive digital library of openly licensed picture storybooks available in multiple African languages. This platform not only provides stories but also enables communities and educators to create, adapt, and translate resources, promoting both literacy and local cultural expression (org).
- Vula Bula, developed by the Molteno Institute, provides phonically graded readers to support early reading in various South African languages. Freely available under open licences, these resources support educators and families in guiding children through the critical early stages of literacy development (vulabula.molteno.co.za).
Fun websites with stories for children
Check out Storyline online and VOOKS for amazing storytellers and read-alouds of great children’s books.
Reflecting and Moving Forward
The celebration of Book Day on 23 April was a reminder of the transformative power of books and reading in the lives of children. It also underscored the importance of ongoing efforts to ensure equitable access to literature for every South African child. Supporting initiatives like Ulwazi Lwethu, Book Dash, African Storybook, and Vula Bula is essential in overcoming literacy challenges, promoting educational equality, and empowering future generations.
Let us carry forward the momentum created by Book Day, committing to fostering a reading culture that values linguistic diversity, educational excellence, and inclusive access to literature for all.
In 2025 vier ons ’n honderd jaar sedert Afrikaans amptelik as ’n landstaal erken is – ’n mylpaal wat die ryk geskiedenis en veerkragtigheid van die taal beklemtoon. Sedert 1925 het Afrikaans gegroei tot ’n dinamiese taal wat in gemeenskappe oor die hele land gehoor word – van klaskamers tot verhoogteaters, van digbundels tot daaglikse gesprekke.
Afrikaans se geskiedenis is verweef met kompleksiteite en uiteenlopende ervarings. Vir sommige is dit ’n taal van huis en hart; vir ander is dit gekoppel aan ’n moeilike verlede. Maar soos wat die taal self aanhou verander, sien ons hoe nuwe geslagte dit herwin, herskryf en herleef op hul eie voorwaardes. Dit getuig van die krag van taal om aan te pas, te verenig, en nuwe stories moontlik te maak.
Hierdie eeufees gee ons die geleentheid om te reflekteer oor Afrikaans se plek in ’n veelvuldige taallandskap en die rol wat dit speel in identiteitsvorming, onderrig en kultuuroordrag. Laat ons hierdie mylpaal vier met gesprekke, leesstukke en deelname – in ons klasse, ons gemeenskappe en ons harte.
In 2025 we celebrate one hundred years since Afrikaans was officially recognised as a national language – a milestone that highlights the rich history and resilience of the language. Since 1925, Afrikaans has grown into a dynamic language that is heard in communities all over the country – from classrooms to stages, from literary anthologies to daily conversations.
The history of Afrikaans is intertwined with complexities and varied experiences. For some it is a language of home and heart; for others it is linked to a difficult past. But as the language itself continues to change, we see new generations reclaiming, rewriting and reviving it on their own terms. It testifies to the power of language to adapt, unify, and make new stories possible.
Save the date: SAALT 2025 Conference
We are thrilled to announce the upcoming 2025 SAALT Conference!
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Theme:
From Chalkboards to Chatbots: Language Education's Journey and Future -
Date:
28 - 31 July 2025 -
Location:
Skukuza, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Our 2025 conference promises to be a vibrant meeting of minds on a theme that resonates deeply within the language education community. We’ll explore how language education has evolved from traditional methods to the integration of AI, digital tools, and beyond. Academics, researchers, and language practitioners are invited to submit their abstracts, addressing this broad theme through diverse subtopics such as technology in language classrooms, AI in language assessment, historical reflections, and future trends.
More details and the official call for papers will be released soon. Please look out for more information on our website at saalt.org.za
We eagerly await your proposals and abstract submissions and look forward to showcasing groundbreaking research and innovative teaching practices at our conference.
Here is the link to our call for papers:
Upcoming webinars
We have an exciting upcoming webinar series focusing on assessment, Assess smart with Albert. This series is presented as a SAALT SIG (NExLA) offering.
The webinars will be presented on MS Teams. The following link can be used to attend the webinar:
For more information on NExLA visit https://nexla.org.za/
For any changes or updates, please follow our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/saalanguageteaching/
| Webinar | Date | Time | Presenter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your own imagination is the only limitation: Devising items for testing language ability economically, and using AI responsibly | 18 June 2025 | 13:00 | Prof. Albert Weideman |
| Using technical tools to enhance quality: Using TiaPlus Build 314 (freeware) for analysis | 13 August 2025 | 13:00 | Prof. Albert Weideman |
Membership Fees for 2025
We would like to remind everyone to renew their SAALT Membership for 2025. More information is available on our website at https://saalt.org.za/become-a-member/ From this page you will be able to navigate to our membership levels. The following options are available:
- SAALT Individual Teacher Membership: R250
- SAALT Schools Memberships: R500
- SAALT registered Postgraduate Students: R200
- SAALT Registered Academics/researchers/Other Institutions: R500
After you have made your selection on the following page https://saalt.org.za/membership-levels/ you can choose one of two options.
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Option 1:
Subscribe and pay via our secure online payment portal, Payfast. The subscribe and pay option allows you to immediately access your online profile. -
Option 2:
Request an invoice and pay via EFT or submit your invoice to your institution. If you choose this option, please remember to submit your proof of payment to the upload link that is sent to you via email after you have subscribed. As soon as your payment has been verified (please allow 2 weeks for this process), you will be able to access your online profile.