There is some good news for staff members who would like to start learning isiXhosa this year or build on what they’ve learnt already. IsiXhosa staff courses will be subsidised during 2024, which means that staff will be able to attend the lunch-hour Masabelane A1 and A2 courses offered by the Language Centre free of charge. Registrations close on 1 February for the first offering starting on 7 February.
Stembele Johnson, isiXhosa lecturer at the Language Centre, is excited to teach colleagues more about the isiXhosa language and culture. “Learning isiXhosa also enables you to communicate easily with speakers of other Nguni languages: IsiZulu, IsiSwati, and IsiNdebele,” Stembele explains.
“Learning isiXhosa can be the gateway to speaking four South African Languages.” She loves helping her students become part of a broader isiXhosa culture in an encouraging learning and teaching environment.
If you’re an absolute beginner, Stembele recommends starting with the Masabelane (Beginner) A1 short course. By doing this course you will be actively cultivating a multilingual mindset in the office and in class, and you will be able to start having basic conversations in isiXhosa. You’re bound to learn a song or two as well!
Beginner A1 course dates (register here):
- 7 February – 8 March (NB: register by 1 February)
- 7 April – 26 June
- 15 July – 4 September
- 16 September – 6 November
Masabelane A2 (Elementary) is a short course aimed at staff members with a beginner’s knowledge of isiXhosa. It is the ideal follow-up course if you have completed the original Masabelane A1 course and would like to further your knowledge of the language. If you haven’t attended Masabelane A1 but you already know a bit of isiXhosa, you’re also welcome here. This is a fun-filled course offering you a linguistic and cultural taste of isiXhosa as a language in a wider cultural context. By the end of the course you should be able to speak social isiXhosa with confidence and identify the gist of social conversations. You will also have knowledge of basic isiXhosa grammar, vocabulary and idiomatic expressions.
Elementary A2 course dates (register here):
- 7 April – 24 July (Register by 22 March)
- 20 August – 6 November
You could also email Stembele at ssjohnson@sun.ac.za if you’d like to find out more about the courses.
