University of the Western Cape

Research, postgraduate supervision & societal Impact

In my academic career, I have actively sought to integrate research and teaching to enhance learning experiences and knowledge creation. My research explores the intersection of language, gender and discourse analysis, which informs my pedagogical practices. I incorporate my research findings into my courses, ensuring that students engage with the latest developments in the field. Additionally, I encourage students to participate in research-driven learning through project-based learning and workshop discussions.

I receive the "Developing the scholar: Early career" grant to support research into learning and teaching, focusing on pre-service teacher perceptions and the role of first year excursions in a UWC context. This highlight my expertise in fostering research-led teaching strategies that benefit both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Research integrated with teaching

One of my key research interests is the role of gender-neutral language in educational and professional contexts. This focus extends beyond theoretical analysis, as I implement inclusive linguistic strategies in my classroom and assessment practices. My work aligns with international scholarship on gender-inclusive language, and I actively explore how global perspectives can be adapted to the South African context.

I integrate my research into student learning through:

Course design: Embedding discourse analysis principles in linguistics and task-based assignments.
Assessment strategies: Encouraging students to analyse real-world texts through research-oriented assignments.
Supervision: Guiding postgraduate students in projects that intersect with my own research themes.

Global Minds short research stay grant

18 May to 30 June 2026

Awarded a competitive international short research stay grant for the project Strengthening Transformative Teacher Education through Immersive Learning and International Collaboration. The project focuses on expanding the UWC first-year immersive excursion initiative and developing collaborative master’s-level exchange opportunities between partner universities. Anticipated output includes one co-authored academic journal article and the development of a collaborative international research grant proposal.

Developing the scholar programme

Participated in the "Developing the scholar programme: Early-career" run under the auspices of the DVC: Research and Innovation for the 2024-2026 academic year. The programme included 6 workshops that I successfully completed, namely: 1) Supervision workshop, 2) Publication writing, 3) Supervision, 4) Case for promotion - Early career researchers 5) Writing new Project and Funding post PhD, 6) last workshop to be announced.

Wêreldtaalkunde projek

Omdat we willen dat toekomstige leraren zich gemakkelijk kunnen bewegen in een globaliserende wereld, vinden we het belangrijk om studenten letterlijk en figuurlijk hun grenzen te laten verleggen. In aanraking komen met studenten uit een ander land en met een andere culturele achtergrond is een mooie manier om hiermee aan de slag te gaan.

Een samenwerking wordt natuurlijk nog interessanter als die inhoudelijk raakvlakken heeft met de studie die je doet. Daarom is het voor studenten van de lerarenopleiding Nederlands heel leerzaam om samen te werken met studenten van de lerarenopleiding Afrikaans, twee talen die zo verwant zijn.

We zijn dan ook heel blij dat we dit project tussen de Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen (HAN) en de University of the Western Cape (UWC) kunnen uitvoeren. (Dutch description of the project)

The HAN-UWC Project: Strengthening research and pedagogical approaches

A significant aspect of my research integration with teaching is my involvement in the HAN-UWC Collaborative Project, which brings together students from HAN University in the Netherlands and the University of the Western Cape. This project focuses on linguistic differences between Afrikaans and Dutch, allowing students to explore the impact of context, background, and technology on text comprehension. The project requires students to engage in four structured assignments, including personal introductions, interviews, linguistic text analysis, and group presentations on key linguistic findings.

This project has deepened my research on cross-linguistic analysis and multilingual pedagogy, particularly in understanding how historical, social, and digital factors shape language evolution and comprehension. By facilitating this project, I contribute to the development of comparative linguistic methodologies, allowing students to critically assess phonological, morphological, and syntactic differences between Afrikaans and Dutch. The project also provides a research-rich environment where student findings inform broader discussions in my own research on Afrikaans language variation, multilingual education, and discourse analysis.

The HAN-UWC Project: Strengthening research and pedagogical approaches

Reflection on my research career

Immediate goals

My current academic trajectory is focused on:

Publishing two additional journal articles by the end of 2026.
Publish one chapter in an academic book.
Presenting at an international conference on language acquisition and gender.
Expanding postgraduate students' progress improvement.
Enhancing AI integration in under- and postgraduate programmes.

Long-term vision

Developing collaborative research projects with international scholars

Strengthening academic partnerships with scholars in linguistics, discourse analysis and multilingual education to foster cross-cultural and comparative research. These collaborations would enable a broader exploration of Afrikaans in global linguistic contexts, contributing to interdisciplinary scholarship on language change, identity, and pedagogy.

Expanding research on digital language practices

Investigate how Afrikaans is evolving in digital spaces, including social media, AI interactions, and online discourse communities. This would build on your work in discourse analysis and gender studies while contributing to broader discussions on language change in the digital age.

Curating an open-access language resource repository

Develop an open-access digital archive of Afrikaans texts, media and classroom materials that reflect different varieties of Afrikaans (including Kaaps and Namakwaland Afrikaans). This could serve as a valuable resource for teachers, researchers and students.