Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages

Prof AC Wilsenach

College of Human Sciences
School of Arts
Department: Linguistics and Modern Languages
Professor
Tel: 012 429 6045
E-mail: wilseac@unisa.ac.za

Qualifications

  • PhD Linguistics (Utrecht University, 2006)
  • MA Linguistics (University of Stellenboch,1999)

Fields of academic interests

  • Language acquisition
  • Language processing
  • Bilingualism and biliteracy
  • Second language learning and teaching

Field of Specialisation

  • Psycholinguistics
  • Language and Reading disabilities
  • Early literacy
  • Applied Linguistics
  • Cognitive Linguistics
  • Academic writing

Books

  • Wilsenach, C. (2020). The Development of Cognitive-Linguistic Skills in Multilingual Learners: A Perspective of Northern Sotho–English Children. In R. Hickey (Ed.), English in Multilingual South Africa: The Linguistics of Contact and Change (Studies in English Language), pp. 350-370. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781108340892.017.

  • De Jong, J., de Bree, E., Wilsenach, C & Gerrits, E. (2004). Dyslexie in relatie tot primaire taalstoornissen. In: K.P. van den Bos & L. Verhoeven (Red.), Leven met dyslexie. Antwerpen/Apeldoorn:Garant.

Journal articles

  • Charalambous, A., & Wilsenach, C. (2024). A longitudinal study of the efficacy of the Cellfield reading intervention in a South African context. Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/19404158.2024.2344858
  • Makaure, P., & Wilsenach, C. (2024). Explaining Variation in Reading Comprehension in Northern Sotho-English Bilingual Readers: A Simple View of Reading Perspective on Longitudinal Data. Reading Psychology, 45(2), 143–177. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2023.2276444
  • Schaefer, M., Mohohlwane, N., & Wilsenach, C. (2023). Examining the generalisability of the simple view of reading comprehension for emergent bilinguals. Infant and Child Development, e2487. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.2487.
  • Wilsenach, C. & Schaefer, M. (2022). Development and initial validation of productive vocabulary tests for isiZulu, Siswati and English in South Africa, Language Testing, Advance online publication, pp. 1-26, https://doi.org/10.1177/02655322211063785.
  • Wilsenach, C. (2019). Phonological awareness and reading in Northern Sotho – Understanding the contribution of phonemes and syllables in Grade 3 reading attainment, South African Journal of Childhood Education 9(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v9i1.647
  • Wilsenach, C. & Makaure P. (2018). Gender effects on phonological processing and reading development in Northern Sotho children learning to read in English: A case study of Grade 3 learners. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 8(1), a546. https:// doi.org/10.4102/sajce. V8i1.546
  • Wilsenach, C. (2016). Identifying phonological processing deficits in Northern Sotho-speaking children: the use of nonword repetition as a lanugage assessment tool in the South African context, South African Journal of Communication Disorders, 63(2), a145. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/sajcd.v63i2.145.
  • Wilsenach, C.  (2015). Receptive vocabulary and early literacy skills in emergent bilingual Northern Sotho-English children’, Reading & Writing 6(1), Art. #77, 11 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/rw.v6i1.77
  • Wilsenach, C. (2013). Phonological skills as predictor of reading success: An investigation of emergent bilingual Northern Sotho/English learners. Per Linguam: A journal of Language Learning, 29(2), 17-32.
  • Wijnen, F., Wilsenach, C. & De Bree, E. (2005). Dyslexie: vroege voorlopers in de taalontwikkeling. Logopedie, 18(4), Vlaamse Vereniging voor Logopedisten, Herentals.
  • Alphen, P. van, Bree, E. de, Jong, J. de, Gerrits, E., Wilsenach, C. & Wijnen, F. (2004). Early language development in children with a genetic risk of dyslexia. Dyslexia, 10, 265-288.
  • Bree, E. de & Wilsenach, C. & Gerrits, E. (2004). Fonologische verwerking en fonologisch werkgeheugen van kinderen met taalproblemen. Stem-, Spraak- en Taalpathologie, 12(3), 172-186.
  • Bree, E. de & Wilsenach, C. (2002). Op zoek naar de voorlopers en voorspellers van dyslexie. Remediaal, 3(2), Themanummer: Dyslexie als Taalstoornis, 4-8.
  • Le Roux, C. & Wilsenach, C. (1999). Transfer from L1 to L2: A study of parameter values in the Afrikaans of a child L2 learner. SPIL Plus, 30, 79-109.

Paper presentations

  • Wilsenach, C. (2023). Writing for Publication. Literacy Association of South Africa: Preconference Workshop. 5-7 September, Gqeberha.
  • Wilsenach, C. (2022). Writing for Publication. Literacy Association of South Africa: Preconference Workshop. 27-29 September, Johannesburg.
  • Wilsenach, C & Schaefer, M. (2021). Development and initial validation of productive vocabulary tests for isiZulu, Siswati and English in South Africa. 16th Annual National LITASA Conference, Durban, KwaZulu Natal, 3-5 September. 
  • Probert, T. Schaefer, M. & Wilsenach, C. (2019). Linguistic Analysis of the Early Grade Reading Studies: Statistics Workshop. 27 - 28 July, Rhodes University, Grahamstown.
  • Wilsenach, C. (2019). The development of cognitive-linguistic skills in multilingual learners: a perspective of Northern Sotho-English children. 14th Annual National LITASA Conference, UCT, Cape Town, 12-14 July 2019.
  • Wilsenach, C. (2018). Phonemes and syllables in Northern Sotho reading – untangling their role. 13th Annual National LITASA Conference, NMU, Port Elizabeth, 5-7 October 2018.
  • Wilsenach, C & Makaure, P. (2017). Gender effects on phonological processing and reading development in Northern Sotho-English bilingual children: evidence from Grade 3 learners. Paper presentation at the 12th Annual Conference of the Reading Association of South Africa, Unisa, Pretoria, 13-15 October.
  • Wilsenach, C. (2016). Identifying phonological processing deficits in Northern Sotho-speaking children: the use of nonword repetition as a language assessment tool in the South African context. Paper presentation at the LSSA/SAALA/SAALT Annual Conference, University of the Western Capte, 4-7 July 2016. 
  • Wilsenach, C. & Makaure, P. (2016). Rapid naming revisited; the role of processing speed in emergent bilingual Northern Sotho-English children. Panel discussion at the LSSA/SAALA/SAALT Annual Conference, University of the Western Capte, 4-7 July 2016. 
  • Wilsenach, C. (2015). The relationship between cognitive-linguistic skills and literacy development in emergent bilingual Northern Sotho-English children. Paper presentation at the 45th Colloquium on African Languages and Linguistics (CALL). Leiden University, 31 August – 1 September 2015.
  • Cross, S., Naicker, S. & Wilsenach, C. (2014).  A comparative study of the effects of age on perceptual processes within an information technology college in light of the Desktop Metaphor. Proceedings of the UNISA School of Arts Conference, UNISA Press, Pretoria.
  • Wilsenach, C. (2014). Receptive vocabulary and early literacy skills in emergent bilingual Northern Sotho-English children. Paper presentation at the Annual National RASA conference. Rhodes university, Grahamstown, 12-14 September 2014.
  • Wilsenach, C. (2013). Phonological Processing and Literacy in Northern Sotho. Poster presentation at the 38th Annual Boston University Conference on Language Development. Boston, 1-3 November.
  • Wilsenach, C. (2012). Towards the early identification of reading failure in African languages. Can non-word repetition be used as an assessment tool in the South African context? Paper presentation at the Annual National conference of the Reading Association of South Africa, Durban, 12-14 October 2012.
  • Wilsenach, C. (2010). Phonological skills and literacy in Northern Sotho speaking children. Paper presentation at the annual conference of the Linguistics Society of Southern Africa, Pretoria, 27-29 September.
  • De Bree, E., Wilsenach, C. & Wijnen, F. (2005). Early phonology and morphosyntax in children with a genetic risk of dyslexia. Paper presentation, Xth International Congress for the Study of Child Language. Berlin, 25–29 July.
  • Wilsenach, C. & Wijnen, F (2004). Perceptual sensitivity to morphosyntactic agreement in language learners. Evidence from Dutch children at risk for developing dyslexia. In A. Brugos, L. Micciulla & C.E. Smith, (Eds). Proceedings of 28th BU Conference on Language Development, 645-656.  Somerville (Mass): Cascadilla Press.
  • De Bree, E., van Alphen, P., Gerrits, E., de Jong, J., Wilsenach, C. & Wijnen, F. (2004). Early language development in children with a genetic risk for dyslexia: a longitudinal and prospective study. Paper presentation at the 11th annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading. Amsterdam, 26-30 June.
  • Wilsenach, C., Alphen, P. van, Bree, E. de, Gerrits, E., Jong, J. de & Wijnen, F. (2004). Early language development and precursors of dyslexia:  early perceptual sensitivity to morphosyntactic pattern. Seminar at British Dyslexia Association, Warwick, 27-30 March.
  • Wilsenach, C. & Wijnen, F. Perceptual sensitivity to morphosyntactic agreement in language learners. A longitudinal investigation of Dutch children at risk for dyslexia. (2003). Boston University Conference on Language Development, Boston (Mass), November.
  • Bree, E. de, Wilsenach, C. Gerrits, E. & Wijnen, F. (2003). In search of precursors of dyslexia: Phonological processing and working memory in children at risk for dyslexia and children with SLI. Poster presented at the Child Phonology Conference, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, 1-4 July.
  • Wilsenach, C., Gerrits, E. & Wijnen, F. (2002). Perceptual sensitivity to morphosyntactic agreement in language learners: evidence from Dutch children at risk for developing dyslexia. International Congress for the Study of Child Language, Madison, Wisconsin

Professional positions, fellowships & awards

  • Associate editor of the journal Reading & Writing http://www.rw.org.za/index.php/rw
  • 2013-2015: Developing Researcher Grant (UNISA Research Directorate)
  • 2019-2021: Women in Research Grant (UNISA Research Directorate)
  • 2019-2020: National chairperson of LITASA
  • 2023 to date: Member of editorial board Infant and Child development

Projects

Current projects:

  • Reading beyond borders: the role of linguistic skills in learning to read English in non-Western contexts (VENI Project Dutch Research Council). Project leader: Dr Lieke Stoffelsma Radboud university, The Netherlands.
  • Evaluation of the Siyafunda Community Learning Hubs Project. Nal’iBali Special Project (Funded by USAID).

Past projects:

  • 2013 - 2015: The relationship between phonological skills and literacy achievement in Northern Sotho-English bilingual children: a longitudinal investigation.
  • 2019-2021: The relationship between cognitive-linguistic skills and literacy development in African languages. A longitudinal investigation of literacy development in Northern Sotho, isiZulu and isiXhosa.