Bi-literacy and Multilingualism in Schools: managing learning and teaching in local and international languages, hosted by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) at the CSIR Conference Centre in Pretoria at the end of February 2014.

In addition to the key note presentation, presentations on teacher education and materials development, implications for national language policies, and the status of the Language in Education Policy (LiEP) were given. Government stakeholder response and a roundtable discussion rounded off the workshop.

Dr Van Staden also presented at the Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education Summit that was hosted by Melrose Training at the Holiday Inn in Sandton, Johannesburg at the end of February 2014. The theme of the summit was “Promoting Best Practices in Safeguarding Academic Standards and Quality in Higher and Further Education.”

Dr Van Staden’s presentation, entitled “Assessment in Higher Education: Issues of Intention, Implementation and Attainment”, focused on three factors, namely: Using a tripartite model as a possible way of conceptualising higher education assessment practices. Secondly, evidence of curricular attainment that has taken place at Grade 4 level across 11 languages in South Africa and lastly, possible factors to add to the tripartite model to serve Higher Education settings. Dr Van Staden, who is also a co-National Research Coordinator for Progress in International Reading Literacy Study 2011 (PIRLS 2011) based her presentation on the revelations offered by this international comparative study in reading literacy conducted under the auspices of the IEA.