Unisa online - English Studies scoops award

English Studies scoops award

The Department of English Studies at Unisa scooped a prestigious award in this year's national Oxford University Press competition. It was run this year as part of its "Your choice for success campaign".

Oxford University Press handed over a R25 000 cheque to the Chair of the Department of English Studies, Prof Zodwa Motsa, at a function in the Protea restaurant on Thursday 17 September 2009. 

Ms Marian Griffin, Director: Higher Education and Trade, explained that the campaign was based on the principle of "a book in the hand enables the student". She said research conducted in the United Kingdom showed that students in possession of textbooks were more successful in their studies than their peers without textbooks. In the campaign, lecturers were also requested to encourage students to buy prescribed textbooks. The aim was to have more students buying prescribed textbooks and benefitting from the advantage of having their own textbooks.    

The excellent sales of the Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary (7th edition), prescribed and recommended in several language and literature courses offered by the Department of English Studies, secured the Department the first prize in the "Your choice for success campaign".  

Chair of the Department, Prof Zodwa Motsa, said the English language teaching dictionaries were extremely suitable for South Africans who speak more than one language, and especially for those who studied or learnt in a language other than their mother tongue. "This is really important in terms of supporting students to pass, and to excel in their courses, and also to develop the language ability that will support them in their future careers."