Wits-HUMEL

📣 CALL FOR PAPERS – HuMEL 2026

Join us in Johannesburg for the 13th International Conference on Multilingual Education and Literacies, hosted by the Hub for Multilingual Education and Literacies (HuMEL) at Wits University.

🗓 10–13 September 2026
📍 Johannesburg, South Africa

✨ Theme:
Multilingual Futures and Literacies of Meaning: Reframing Education for Inclusion and Justice

📚 Conference Sub-Themes:
• Morphological awareness and literacies of meaning
• Indigenous and community literacies
• Multilingual pedagogies and translanguaging innovations
• Digital and AI affordances for literacy and multilingual education
• Policy, justice, and educational transformation
• Global South perspectives and comparative insights

📝 Abstract deadline: 15 March 2026

📎 See the Call for Papers for submission guidelines and presentation formats.
Please share with your networks!

Excited to share this forthcoming title from Multilingual Matters (2027):

📘 Translanguaging and the Decolonisation of African Linguistic Boundaries
A South–South Migration Perspective on Identity, Pedagogy and Multilingual Justice
by Clarash Dhokotera and Prof. Leketi Makalela.

A powerful intervention in debates on language, identity, and justice in African and Global South contexts.

Job Advertisement: Sesotho and isiZulu Tutors
Wits University

Wits University invites applications for Sesotho and isiZulu Tutor positions within its language learning programme.

Minimum Requirements:
• A Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) in isiZulu, Sesotho, or a related field.
• A strong interest in teaching and language development.

NB: Applicants should be based in Gauteng -Johannesburg

Applications:
Please submit your CV to:
[email protected]
[email protected]

Closing Date: 22 December 2025

Wits University is committed to promoting linguistic diversity and inclusivity.

🌍✨ Speaking in Tongues Seminar Series 2025 ✨🌍

Don’t miss our next exciting session!

🎙️ Bilectal Investigations of Grammar (and Perspectives for Education)
👤 Presented by Prof. Kleanthes K. Grohmann (University of Cyprus)
🗓️ 25 November 2025
🕐 13:00
📍 Online via Microsoft Teams

Join us as we explore how multilingual and bilectal speakers adapt language, drawing on research that has powerful implications for teaching, learning, and multilingual classrooms.

🔗 Microsoft Teams Details:
💻 Meeting ID: 386 134 886 739
🔑 Passcode: WL2mE7Fn

📩 RSVP: [email protected]

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the University of Lesotho (NUL) for the warm partnership and hospitality during the Translanguaging Symposium: “Translanguaging Practices in Multilingual Education: Pedagogies, Policies & Possibilities,” held at the Roma campus from 24–25 October 2025.

This collaborative event between NUL, the Wits University Hub for Multilingual Education and Literacies (HuMEL), and the Balang Foundation created an inspiring space for educators, researchers, and policymakers to reimagine language as a bridge to equity, innovation, and inclusion in education.

We are grateful for the opportunity to share, learn, and grow together in advancing multilingual pedagogies across Southern Africa.

📣 Now Hiring!
The Wits School of Education is inviting applications for Teaching Assistant and Tutor positions.
🗓️ Closing Date: 31 October 2025 (on-site)

Apply via the links on the posters!

Multilingual Lesson Swap Café ☕ | Hosted by HuMEL, Wits School of Education

Share. Learn. Inspire.
Join us at the Multilingual Lesson Swap Café, an open and collegial space where Wits educators share how they are using more than one language for learning and teaching.

Whether you teach in isiZulu, Sesotho, English, or Sign Language — this is your chance to exchange ideas, showcase classroom innovations, and discover new ways to make multilingualism work for your students.

📅 Every Wednesday
🕐 13:00–14:00 (Lunch Hour)
📍 Wits School of Education – Staff Lounge / Online

Bring your stories and teaching ideas — we’ll provide the coffee and conversation!

💬 RSVP:
📧 [email protected] | [email protected]

Unlock the Power of Languages in Your Teaching!

HuMEL (Hub for Multilingual Education and Literacies) invites all Wits academic staff to join our Weekly Multilingual Pedagogies Workshop Series — a supportive space to explore practical, research-informed ways of using multiple languages as a resource for learning, teaching, and assessment.

📅 Every Tuesday
🕐 13:00–14:00
📍 Staff Lounge / Online

Meeting ID: 311 304 764 008 9
Passcode: yB2dS394

Whether you’re new to multilingual teaching or an experienced practitioner, these sessions will help you build confidence and discover new strategies to make multilingualism work in your classroom.

💬 RSVP:
📧 [email protected] | [email protected]

🌍📢 CALL FOR PAPERS – National University of Lesotho

The Hub for Multilingual Education and Literacies (HuMEL), Wits University, in collaboration with the Balang Foundation and the National University of Lesotho, invites you to be part of an exciting symposium

Translanguaging Practices in Multilingual Education: Pedagogies, Policies & Possibilities
📅 Date: 24–25 October 2025
📍 Venue: NUL, ISAS Auditorium

✨ Keynote Speakers:
🎤 Prof. Leketi Makalela (Wits University, South Africa)
🎤 Prof. Epimaque Niyibizi (University of Rwanda)
🎤 Dr. Sekoai Elliot Nkhi (University of Lesotho)

📝 Abstract Submission:
• Deadline: 10 October 2025
• 200–400 words | Submit to: [email protected]

📚 Selected papers will feature in an edited volume: Translanguaging Practices in Multilingual Education: Pedagogies, Policies, and Possibilities.

Let’s reimagine multilingual education together for equitable learning!

Happy Heritage Day!
Today we celebrate our cultures, traditions, and unity. ✨

✨ A heartfelt thank you ✨

The 12th International Conference on Language and Literacy Education, hosted by Wits University and HuMEL, has come to a successful close!

We are deeply grateful to our keynote speakers – Prof Antoinette Gagné, Prof Joyce Imali Wangia, and Dr Clyde Ancarno – for their inspiring contributions, and to all presenters, delegates, and partners who joined us in shaping dialogue around Translanguaging, Literacies, and Technological Affordances: Shaping the Future of Multilingual Education .

Your insights, engagement, and collaboration made this gathering truly enriching. Together, we have sparked new ideas and strengthened the global community of scholars, educators, and practitioners dedicated to advancing multilingual education.

We look forward to continuing this journey with you – until we meet again at the next conference! 🌍📚