Summary
I am a professor of applied linguistics in the School of Languages at North-West University (NWU) in South Africa. After heading up the Unit for Afrikaans and English at Stellenbosch University’s Language Centre from 2007-2012, and being involved in several language facilitation efforts and the implementation of Faculties’ language plans, I was appointed in January 2013 as Professor and Director of the Centre for Academic and Professional Language Practice at North-West University’s Potchefstroom Campus. In this capacity, I headed up the flagship Academic Literacy Programme (LSP, EAP), the Writing Laboratory and the Short Courses Division.
In 2023, I was seconded to the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR), a national centre supported by the Department of Science and Innovation, to lead a comprehensive audit of language resources across higher education institutions. Building on its outcomes, I now head the follow-up project – beginning in 2024 – known as the Higher Education Support Programme, a direct and strategic response to the key findings presented in the National Language Resources Audit Report.
Previous positions
From 2018 until July 2020, I was Director: School of Languages, a position overseeing all language departments/subject groups. Apart from managerial/developmental duties, I also designed and taught courses and workshops at Bachelors, Masters and PhD level, and supervised postgraduate studies in the field of applied linguistics. I was and still am, involved in institutional projects aimed at advancing multilingualism and serve on sub-committees of Senate that focus on student academic language support.
From 2020-2022 I headed up the Centre for Academic and Professional Language Practice again, taking responsibility for external and internal projects in the School of Languages, certain short learning programmes, managing the writing laboratories and developing a platform for language ability testing in all official languages.
As founding member and Director of the Inter-institutional Centre for Language Development and Assessment (ICELDA). I have extensive experience of inter- and intra-institutional language assessment, and course and syllabus design activities.
I am the node manager in the South African Digital Language Resource Agency (SADiLaR) – here the primary focus is to advance multilingualism.
Post-school qualifications
| 2010 | PhD (University of the Free State) |
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| Title: Konstitutiewe voorwaardes vir die ontwerp van ’n toets van akademiese geletterdheid. PDF (2.9 Mb) In this thesis I articulate several principles that guide the design of tests of academic literacy. These principles relate to the refinement of the blueprint for such tests, their consistency and validation as measuring instruments, as well as the responsible interpretation of test results. One of the external examiners found the thesis …
Another examiner concludes:
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| 2002 | MA cum laude (University of Pretoria) |
| For my MA, entitled Die Handevatprojek: ’n vennootskap met onderwysbenadeelde taalonderwysers van Afrikaans, I focused on the teaching and learning practice of language teachers in historically disadvantaged communities. I investigated the impact of a partnership (in the form of a support programme) between a university and a secondary school, and in particular its impact on Grade 12 results. In this study, the quality of teaching and learning was demonstrated to have increased over a period of three years, as teachers developed professionally with the support of a mentor. This also had a direct impact on school leavers’ final examination results. | |
| 1998 | BAHons cum laude (University of Pretoria) |
| 1997 | HED (University of Pretoria) |
| 1996 | BA cum laude (University of Pretoria) |
Work experience
| Dates | Position and Institution | Core activities |
|---|---|---|
| 2024– | Project leader at SADiLaR: Higher Education Support Programme | Supporting the implementation of the Higher Education Policy Framework at South African universities, as a second phase of the National Audit of Language Resources. |
| .2023 | Project leader at SADiLaR: National Audit of Language Resources at Higher Education Institutions | I have been seconded to SADiLaR (South African Centre for Digital Language Resources) to lead the National Audit of Language Resources at higher education institutions. |
| 2022– | Professor of applied linguistics: School of Languages at North-West University (NWU) | Project leader of four large-scale projects also involving international scholars. Responsible for the the national language audit of higher education institutions in South Africa, commissioned by the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR), under auspices of the National Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI). |
| Sep. 2020–2022 | Head: Centre for Academic and Professional Language Practice North-West University | This Centre has been revived recently and the focus is to further short learning programmes, to offer a home for project work, and to manage the writing laboratories on all campuses. The main foci are to generate third stream income, to apply for and generate projects with external funding, to contribute towards advancing multilingualism, to create an academic space for writing development, and to establish a home for language testing endeavours that can also be commercialised. |
| 2018–Aug. 2020 | Director: School of Languages North-West University | Personnel management Financial management Academic programme management Research Teaching and learning: undergraduate teaching and postgraduate supervision |
| 2013–2017/18 | Director: Centre for Academic and Professional Language Practice North-West University | Similar to the above |
| 2007–2013 | Head: Unit for Afrikaans and English Stellenbosch University | Similar to the above |
| 2006–2007 | Head: Unit for Afrikaans Stellenbosch University | Similar to the above |
| 2005–2006 | Lecturer: Unit for Afrikaans Stellenbosch University | Similar to the above, but excluding areas such as management and post graduate supervision |
| 2001–2005 | Lecturer: Unit for Academic Literacy University of Pretoria | Personnel management (contract staff) Financial management (testing) Research Teaching and learning: undergraduate and postgraduate teaching |
| 1999–2000 | Calor Gas (UK) | Accountancy clerk Internal claims |
| 1998–1999 | Junior lecturer: Department of Afrikaans University of Pretoria | Research Teaching and learning: undergraduate teaching |
Professional activities
Scholarly journals
- Editor, Journal for Language Teaching (2016 – 2020)
- Editorial panel: Woord en Daad (2015 – current)
- Reviewer for four accredited South African scientific journals and two international scientific journals.
Professional projects and organisations
- Node Manager of South African Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) – node focussing on language testing and writing development (2016 – current) and Head of National Language Resources Audit Team (SADiLaR, 2023)
- Chairperson of the South African Association for Language Teaching (2014–2016)
Vice-chairperson of the South African Association for Language Teaching (2011–2013; 2020– ) - Director and former Chairperson of the Inter-institutional Centre for Language Development and Assessment (ICELDA), a partnership between three South African universities (2017– current)
- Executive board member of the international project Communication for Professionals (2013–2017)
Professional membership
- South African Association for Language Teaching (SAALT)
- Southern African Linguistics and Applied Linguistics Association (SALALS)
- Network of Expertise for Language Assessment (NExLA)
Academic awards
| 2020 |
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| 2016 |
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| 2012 |
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| 2011–2012 |
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| 2011–2012 |
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| 2003 |
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| 1999–2002 |
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| 1997–1998 |
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Tobie van Dyk 