BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE​

The LITASA Conference provides a platform for educators, literacy practitioners, researchers, policymakers and communities to engage with South Africa’s changing literacy landscape. The 2027 conference places the right to literacy at the centre of this conversation.

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Literacy is more than a school-based skill; it is a fundamental right. The 2021 PIRLS findings, which reported that 81% of South African Grade 4 learners could not read for meaning in any language, highlight the urgency of strengthening literacy development.

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The conference asks: What is every child entitled to when it comes to literacy? Who is responsible for ensuring that right? And how can we move from recognising the challenge to creating meaningful impact?

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Hosting the conference in the Eastern Cape creates an opportunity to engage with multilingual communities, diverse cultural traditions, rural and urban contexts, and unequal access to educational resources.

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WHY “FROM IINTSOMI TO IMPACT”?​

Iintsomi refers to traditional isiXhosa and wider Nguni oral storytelling traditions through which language, knowledge, culture, values and identity have been passed from one generation to another.

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The theme connects this oral tradition with formal literacy development. A child’s literacy journey begins long before entering a classroom through listening, speaking, storytelling, singing, conversation and interaction with family and community.

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“From Iintsomi to Impact” represents a continuous journey:

oral tradition → language → literacy → learning → empowerment → impact.

 

The conference asks how education can recognise and build on children’s linguistic and cultural knowledge rather than treating it as separate from formal learning.

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ABOUT THE CONFERENCE​

The conference will explore literacy as a right, a foundation for learning and a pathway to meaningful participation in society. It will bring together educators, researchers, literacy practitioners, policymakers and communities.

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• Early literacy and foundational learning

• Multilingual and African-language literacy

• Indigenous knowledge and oral storytelling

• Reading for meaning and comprehension

• Literacy in rural and under-resourced schools

• Teacher development and support

• Children’s right to quality literacy education

• Literacy policy and practice

• Family and community involvement

• Digital literacy, technology and AI

• Research and evidence-informed practice

• Turning literacy challenges into sustainable impact

 

CONFERENCE VISION​​​

The conference moves beyond asking only, “How do we teach reading better?” It asks: “What does every child have the right to experience, know and achieve through literacy — and how do we ensure that this becomes a reality?”

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Through dialogue, research, practical engagement and shared practice, the conference seeks to connect heritage with education, oral tradition with formal literacy, and knowledge with action.

 

Ultimately, From Iintsomi to Impact is about recognising where children’s literacy journeys begin and ensuring that those journeys lead to meaningful opportunities, stronger learning outcomes and empowered communities.

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Keep an eye out for the Abstract Submissions!

                                             If you have any queries, contact us at info@litasa.org.za.