This node promotes research on child language development in all of South Africa. The CLDN is based at Stellenbosch University
19/08/2026
The CLDN has written an article for Child Magazine that provides activities and practical strategies for language development.
Follow the link below to read all about it: https://www.childmag.co.za/language-development-opportunities/
17/08/2026
Child-Directed speech (CDS) is one way we can support children’s early language development. From bath time to chores; everyday moments are opportunities to talk, listen and respond.
Swipe through for simple ways to bring more CDS into your day!
11/08/2026
Instead of having just one Word of the Month, we’ve decided to do things a little differently this month!
Whether it’s women, bafazi, bafati, abafazi, basadi, vavasati, vhafumakadzi or vroue in your language, one thing remains the same: women are awesome!
This Women’s Month, we celebrate the women who nurture, care, teach, inspire and uplift ; the caregivers, mothers, sisters, daughters, grandmothers, friends, educators and so many others who help our children, families and communities thrive.
From all of us here at the CLDN, we wish you a very happy Women’s Month!
Happy Women’s Month, bafazi! 👑✨
Last week we said goodbye to an important member of our team
Emma has been a research assistant for the past 6 months, contributing to a variety of projects with dedication and professionalism. Her positive attitude and hard-working nature made her an invaluable member of the team.💛
It’s been a pleasure having you with us, Emma! We wish you all the best for the future!🍀
05/08/2026
The Child Language Development Node is excited to announce that Prof Daniela Gatt will be our fourth guest speaker at our Child Language Africa Seminar Series (CLASS), which will be held on the 19th of August 2026 from 13:00 - 14:00 on Microsoft Teams (Please see the meeting link below)
Swipe above for the abstract and more information!
Meeting link: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_YzdmZmQ5NGMtNzBhNi00ZjM0LWIwYjYtOWJhZTdiZTE3YTAz%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22a6fa3b03-0a3c-4258-8433-a120dffcd348%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2217c1e7cf-f7e9-446e-b83d-af238bf9147c%22%7d
03/08/2026
We have officially completed our isiXhosa CDI norming data collection.
A huge thank you to the parents who participated, our dedicated fieldworkers, and the research team for making this milestone possible.
AfricanLanguages
Should my child be saying more? Will learning two languages delay their development?
These are some of the most frequently asked questions by parents about their child’s language development. In this reel, our CLDN co-director, Professor Frenette Southwood, shares her thoughts on a few of them🧠📚
27/07/2026
Meet one of our fieldworkers: Natasha Jaer!
She is a data collector for the Afrikaans CDI Project and we asked her some questions about her experience.
Swipe to see what she has to say!
24/07/2026
Every story shared helps build language, imagination, and connection 📚💛 That’s why we share Book Dash books with the families who participate in our research - supporting early language development, one story at a time.
23/07/2026
Reflecting, learning, and growing together.
A big thank you to our isiXhosa fieldworkers from our urban and rural norming data collection for sharing their experiences and valuable feedback. Your dedication and insights continue to strengthen our research. 🐝