From the 13th to the 15th of September, I had the privilege of attending the 19th Literacy Association of South Africa (LITASA) Conference, held at the University of Cape Town. The conference brought together researchers, teachers, and other stakeholders in the education sector to discuss the theme, “Literacy Learning Across Contexts: Home-Play-Work.” Here is a brief reflection on my experience and the key takeaways that inspired me.
As an attendee, I was particularly excited to participate in sessions focused on storytelling and multilingualism. One of the major highlights was Professor Bonny Norton’s presentation on “African Stories and Multilingual Identities in the Digital Era,” which provided a fresh perspective on digital literacy – an area I am particularly interested in. Another standout session was an interactive workshop led by Mary-Ann Hood and Melanie Wagenaar titled “Investigation on Family Representations in a Kindergarten Picture Book Collection: Where Are the Real Families?” The session was highly engaging, offering practical strategies for making picture book reading more interactive and enjoyable for young children. I also enjoyed the storytelling and storybook reading sessions presented by Philippa Kabali-Kagwa and Sihle-isipho Nontshokweni. These sessions made me reflect on my role as a caregiver to my 4 year old nephew, Basil – I realized I have never read or narrated a story to him before. As a scholar and researcher in literacy, I now recognize how unfair that has been to him. Oh, shame!
In addition, I attended sessions discussing the concept of Locus of Enunciation, where presenters explored and applied its relevance to literacy. This was my first introduction to the concept. I found this concept both thought-provoking and enlightening, as it addresses how one’s social, cultural, historical, and geographical position shapes the way they perceive and articulate their experiences. After the conference, I read deeper into the literature surrounding Locus of Enunciation and realized its significance in the context of literacy. It offers a crucial framework for understanding how individuals from diverse backgrounds approach reading, writing, and interpreting texts, emphasizing that literacy is not merely about the ability to read and write, but about how people communicate from their unique positionalities. This perspective resonated with me, as it highlights the deep connection between literacy practices and cultural and linguistic identities.
In general, the conference offered valuable insights into how we can make storybooks more accessible especially in resource-poor contexts, such as in Tana River, Kenya – my current research context. The discussion around African stories in digital spaces sparked new ideas on how I could use these platforms to promote minority languages in Kenya by involving speakers in translating the stories available on www.globalstorybooks.net into local their languages. I have been working with some minority language communities in Kenya, including the Pokomo, Waata, and Aweer, all of which are actively engaged in language revitalization efforts. This digital platform could provide them with a space to make their languages visible within their communities and public spaces.
Written by Rehema Abiyo – Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Multilingualism and Diversities Research, UWC
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