“VUT and PanSALB hosted a Terminology Verification Workshop in Polokwane to standardise glossaries and support multilingual learning in Art Management and Physics modules.”
02 December 2025 | Story by: Staff Reporter | Picture by: Supplied
2 minutes read time.
The Vaal University of Technology (VUT), in partnership with the Pan South African Language Board’s Limpopo Provincial Office, hosted a Terminology Verification Workshop aimed at strengthening multilingual teaching and learning in higher education. The four-day workshop was held from Monday, 24 November to Thursday, 27 November at the Park Inn Hotel in Polokwane, Limpopo.
The programme centred on verifying glossaries developed by PanSALB for Art Management and Physics modules, an essential step toward ensuring that these terms are officially recognised and standardised for academic use. This work forms part of a broader national effort to advance the use of African languages in research, teaching and learning across the higher education sector.
Ms Lomile Mokoena, VUT Sesotho Language Practitioner, emphasised the practical value of the workshop. She noted that the institution has several at risk modules, and that the Centre for Academic Development is collaborating with external partners to identify effective academic support mechanisms. “Many lecturers and the CAD agree that translation as a pedagogical tool makes a marked difference, as students often grasp difficult concepts more easily when they are explained in their home languages,” she said.
To advance this objective, VUT and its partners have developed trilingual glossaries that provide terminology in English alongside selected African languages. These resources offer students clearer access to key academic concepts, opening a more direct and confident route to academic success.
The collaboration with PanSALB reflects VUT’s commitment to linguistic diversity, academic excellence and inclusive learning. By endorsing multilingual resources, the institution continues to shape learning spaces where language enables understanding, unlocks potential, and clears the path for every student to rise.