Former South African president Nelson Mandela once said, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart."

Helga Sykstus and Arné Binneman hope to achieve just that with the new Language Learning Hub at Stellenbosch University (SU). “We want to bring people closer to each other by learning more about each other's language and culture," says Helga.

The Language Learning Hub was created to support the multilingual aspirations of individual students who do not currently benefit from sufficient language-learning opportunities in Afrikaans and isiXhosa within existing University structures.

The Language Learning Hub is part of the University's Language Centre, which provides language and communication assistance to SU students and staff, and external clients. The Hub aims to create a one-stop service where clients are assisted according to their language-learning needs.

“There are a lot of students who would love to learn another language or improve on the existing language skills they have, and with the Language Learning Hub we hope to offer those services and opportunities," says Arné.

Helga and Arné also believe that the Hub can, by integrating virtual and physical spaces with various learning opportunities outside of standard learning environments, make a valuable contribution to quality language learning.

The opportunities on offer at the Language Learning Hub include:

• a free consultation to explain the various autonomous learning opportunities;
• language tutoring for one-on-one language needs, either face-to-face or via Skype (including improving grammar, pronunciation and conversational skills);
• informal Survival Afrikaans and isiXhosa sessions offered to residences and Listen, Live and Learn houses using a blended approach;
• beginners', elementary and pre-intermediate courses in various formats (face-to-face and/or blended) for the acquisition of Afrikaans and isiXhosa;
• monitored self-access to online language learning tools in Afrikaans, English and isiXhosa via SUNLearn;
• customised language courses and workshops for external clients;
• conversation partners (unidirectional learning) and tandem language learning;
• informal language learning groups for peer interaction;
• book and film clubs (both face-to-face and on Twitter or other social media platforms); and
• access to self-learning resources for a variety of languages.

For more information on the services and the costs involved contact:

• Helga Sykstus at [email protected] or 021 808 4004.
• Arné Binneman at [email protected] or 021 808 9731.