Interfaculty projects
Language Development Group (LDG)
The Language Development Group (LDG) is an inter-faculty unit in the Academic Development Programme, CHED offering specialised stand-alone or "adjunct" courses for students whose mother tongue is not English.
The LDG has been in existence since the 1980's, and was one of UCT's first responses to promoting equity. The group focuses on the role of English in academic literacy in a multilingual society. We promote and facilitate access to higher education, within an ethos of social justice and national redress.
For more information visit the LDG website.
Writing Centre
The Writing Centre, part of the Language Development group, provides a service to students through individual writing consultations. In addition to providing assistance to students, these consultations perform a crucial diagnostic function. Based on trends and observed patterns in the consultations, curriculum needs are identified and curriculum interventions developed in partnership with regular academic staff.
Contact us
Writing Centre Coordinator: Dr Arlene Archer
Reception: Gadija Arend
For more information visit the Writing Centre website.
Postgraduate Writing Project
The Postgraduate Writing Project was initiated in 2005 to support postgraduates in their writing of research, and it is based in the Language Development Group.
The project has close links with the Writing Centre, also part of the Language Development Group. The five main activities of the Project are as follows:
| 1 | One-to one consultations in the Writing Centre | Students make an appointment with a consultant in the Writing Centre, and submit a draft in advance. The PGW aims to enhance the quality of consultations through ongoing training of consultants |
| 2 | Writer Circles | Postgraduates attend informal low-stakes gatherings where they share ideas, receive peer review and develop self-confidence. There is also regular input on writing and research skills |
| 3 | Taught Masters programmes | The PGW assists taught Masters programmes to graft writing on to the curriculum to bridge the gap between the imitative pedagogy of the coursework component and the more open-ended research process |
| 4 | Workshops | Generic and specialized workshops on writing and research are offered to the UCT community at large |
| 5 | Postgraduate Literacies research and development project | This research project draws on CHED expertise in language, numeracy, ICTs and adult learning, to enhance the services offered |