Society information

THE ENGLISH ACADEMY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
Patrons: Nadine Gordimer and Njabulo Ndebele
Sponsors: The National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund; Media Tenor South Africa; the National Arts Council; the Gwen Knowles-Williams, Nora Taylor, Percy Paneshik and Jo Garmeson Trusts

Website address: http://www.englishacademy.co.za
e-mail address: [email protected]

The English Academy was founded in 1961. It is a registered non-profit association dedicated to promoting the effective use of English as a national resource in Southern Africa. Membership is open to all persons and organizations identifying with the Academy’s mission.

The vision of the English Academy is of a democratic society in which effective English is available to all who wish to use it, where competent instruction in the language is readily accessible and in which the country’ diverse linguistic ecology is respected.

In pursuit of this mission the Academy’s activities cover:

• Education
The Academy encourages the effective teaching and use of English at all levels of education. The Gwen Knowles-Williams Bursary reflects this (this is funded from a bequest from the first President, given periodically on recommendation, to a teacher of English to assist with the improvement of his or her qualifications).

• Culture, Scholarship and Research
At least once every three years, the Academy holds an international conference. The forthcoming conference (2017) will focus on ‘Decolonial Turns, Postcolonial Shifts and Cultural Connections’.

• Awards and Recognition
The Academy recognizes excellence in and service to English with a number of awards:

The Academy Gold Medal is awarded to persons who have rendered a distinguished service to English.
The Olive Schreiner Prize (from 2005 sponsored by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund) is for new or emergent talent in prose, poetry or drama.
The Thomas Pringle Awards (also sponsored by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund) are for work published in newspapers, periodicals and journals.
The Percy FitzPatrick Prize (sponsored by Media Tenor South Africa) is the country’s oldest and most prestigious award for young adult literature.
The Sol Plaatje Translation Prize (sponsored by Media Tenor South Africa) is designed to promote constructive interaction between the users of the eleven official languages of our country.
The Nora Taylor English Academy Floating Trophy for the best overall results in the English Olympiad and/or the SA Council for English Education creative writing competition.

• Cooperation with civil society on matters of common interest
• Interaction with government and official bodies.