UW-Madison hosts African language experts

The university will host the 2001 African Language Teachers’ Association conference April 26-28. Speakers and participants from around the world will convene at the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel, 525 W. Johnson St.

Organizers anticipate participants from across the United States, Europe and South America as well as Africa. Among the speakers will be:

• Ayo Bamgbose, emeritus professor, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. His research interests include endangered languages, and language policy and planning; he is also the recipient of awards from the Ford Foundation, the British Council and the government of Nigeria, which bestowed on him its highest award for intellectual achievement, the National Order of Merit.
• Herman Batibo, professor of African linguistics, University of Botswanna. One of his academic specialties is African languages in jeopardy. He has published books on a variety of subjects, including the linguistic situation in Tanzania.
• Rebecca L. Oxford, professor, University of Maryland-College Park, where she directs programs in second language education. In addition, she is the author of a number of books dealing with language learning strategies and learning motivation.
• Andrew D. Cohen, professor of applied linguistics, University of Minnesota. Cohen is the director of the National Language Resource Center at the UM Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition. He is also Secretary General of the International Association of Applied Linguistics. He is an expert on language learning and testing, and bilingual education.

In addition, the conference will feature African poetry readings, music and dance.

The event is coordinated by the UW–Madison African Language Resource Center, a national clearinghouse for information on African languages not frequently taught. For a complete schedule or more information, contact Antonia Schleicher, UW–Madison professor of African languages and literature, (608) 265-7905, ayschlei@facstaff.wisc.edu.