The Centre of Academic Development (CAD) at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) hosted a transformative translanguaging workshop in partnership with the South African Digital Language Resources Centre (SADiLaR) on August 29.

The workshop was designed to equip VUT mentors and tutors from all faculties with innovative language strategies to enhance student learning and engagement.

Translanguaging, the practice of using multiple languages flexibly in teaching and learning, is gaining recognition as a powerful approach in South Africa’s multilingual context Facilitated by SADiLaR experts Marissa Griesel and Jessica Mabaso, the session provided practical training and engaging discussions on implementing translanguaging strategies in academic support roles.

Griesel delivered an in-depth presentation on terminology curation with the Lexonomy tool, distinguishing between multilingual communication, which involves the use of multiple languages, and multimodal communication, which encompasses various modes such as speech, text and images.

She also highlighted that Lexonomy enables the creation of open educational resources without licensing costs, promoting accessible and collaborative learning.

Participants explored effective ways to integrate translanguaging into their academic support work, focusing on overcoming language barriers, fostering inclusive communication, and helping students succeed by drawing on their full range of language skills.

Mabaso encouraged attendees by saying, “Languages may not be your thing, you might be in a different discipline, but see the fit and explore the fit as there is always new knowledge to gain.”

The workshop marked a significant step toward more inclusive and effective language practices at VUT, equipping educators with the tools to better support student achievement in a multilingual society.