Unit for Language and Academic Literacies
The unit for Language and Academic Literacies is a merger between the former Language Unit and Academic Literacy portfolios inside Fundani. Originally, the Language Unit existed independently while the academic literacy sub-unit was part of the larger Student Learning Unit. Firstly, the Unit caters for the language needs of management, staff and students. This service is provided in the three main languages of the Western Cape namely, isiXhosa, Afrikaans and English, through its in- house language specialists and as prescribed by the institutional language policy.
The language support that the Unit provides includes the following:
- Translation of key documents and course material
- Editing of important documents and course material
- Maintenance and development of the multilingual glossaries’ website [mlg@cput.ac.za]
- Basic isiXhosa and Afrikaans communication courses for staff and students
- Subject specific communication courses for EMS and Radiography
- Writing 101 workshops for new academics and postgraduate students
- Monitoring of the language policy implementation process
Secondly, the unit offers academic literacy support at faculty level to students through the Fundani Writing centre (FWC). There are five ways in which the Fundani Writing Centre intervenes to develop/enhance the CPUT students’ academic literacies’ capabilities: (i) one-to-one voluntary consultations, (ii) one-to-one referral consultations, (iii) small group consultations, (iii) facilitation of short-gun workshops in the faculties/departments, (iv) facilitation of disciplined-based academic literacies intervention (classes and assessments), and (v) individually requested interventions or those emanating from discussions with individual students that consult with the FWC. Out of the workshops and classes comes additional one-to-one or group consultations. As per Student Development Policy, the FWC works with students (and lecturers) from ECP to Advanced Diploma/Honours. This limits the support for postgraduates who are purportedly assisted by the Centre for Postgraduate Studies.
Through the FWC, the unit offers academic literacies interventions in the faculties. Most of these interventions are lecturer-initiated but tailored to meet the literacy needs of the students in each department. They vary from single-day workshops to a series of classes facilitated over a period of 6 weeks. They include academic writing, literature review, referencing, essay writing, report writing, time management, effective study methods, study skills, reading and note-taking strategies, research methodology, and visual literacy. Bookings and enquiries must be directed to the unit’s administrator, Mrs Jean Collins at collinsj@cput.ac.za
The Language and Academic Literacies Unit consists of staff members who possess extensive experience and expertise in language and academic literacy practice. These staff members provide crucial service to the CPUT community using hiflex and dialogic pedagogies. No CPUT student should encounter difficulties in analysing and composing discourses and texts, or in developing their own critical voice, as the unit is available to provide support throughout their educational journey.
