THE ninth Reading Association of South Africa (Rasa) conference, to be held on the Rhodes University campus this weekend, will be the first time Grahamstown plays host to this annual conference.

Rasa has four branches: Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. Each of these provinces takes a turn to host the conference. Previously, the Eastern Cape conference was held at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

Established in 2005, Rasa is intended to serve academics, language teachers, literacy facilitators, activists and NGO staff - everyone concerned with promoting the development of reading and literacy. Rasa is affiliated to the International Reading Association, and is dedicated to promoting teaching and research in reading and writing at all levels of South African society.

Keynote speakers at this year's conference will include Dr Russell Kaschula, chair of African languages at Rhodes, as well as Dr Shelley O'Carroll, director of the organisation Wordworks, in Cape Town. The programme will include more than 70 papers, as well as workshops and specialist discussion groups. The conference will use multiple venues at the Rhodes Education Faculty.

A number of publishers will have stands at the conference, alongside displays from literacy organisations like Upstart and the Lebone Literacy Programme. There is expected to be a good turnout of Eastern Cape
teachers and academics, together with colleagues from around the country. 

By Cathy Gush 

Source: The HERALD