Ministry of Education and Sports and Australia launch the development of Spoken Lao Lessons for Grade 2

Mr. Outhit Thipmany added “This is crucial because students who struggle to understand the language risk falling behind or even dropping out. When children can’t follow what’s said in class, it’s easy for them to lose interest and stop coming to school. Spoken Lao gives these students a real chance to keep up and succeed.”

For 10 days, until December 5^th, the curriculum writing, design and layout teams from RIES will dive into designing the Grade 2 Spoken Lao curriculum. They will explore what worked in Grade 1, identify areas to improve, and decide on the best ways to create effective materials. By the end, they will have a clear plan outlining the Grade 2 Spoken Lao lessons.

The workshop will be very hands-on and interactive. Members of the Grade 1 Spoken Lao team will demonstrate actual lessons, with participants taking on the role of non-Lao speaking Grade 1 students to experience the teaching approach firsthand. Participants will also have the opportunity to experience and reflect on a range of language learning methods and activities while further building their knowledge of international research and best practice.

The development process will follow the proven method from previous materials development, with BEQUAL experts providing technical support to the RIES curriculum team through a series of workshops covering planning, writing, trialling, revising, and designing the materials. The new Grade 2 Spoken Lao resources are planned to be ready for nationwide rollout in the 2027-2028 school year. Australia will continue to provide technical and financial support to the development of the materials, while MoES will seek support from the national budget or development partners for printing and distribution.

Mr. Outhit Thipmany highlighted “Laos is a richly diverse country, with over 50 languages spoken. Many children in rural and remote areas speak a different language than Lao at home. Expanding Spoken Lao to grade two aligns with RIES’s five-year Strategic Development Plan to ensure that non-Lao speaking children receive continued language support as they progress through their early education.”

BEQUAL is a program led by the Lao Government with support from the Australian Government and the United States Government. The program focuses on enhancing educational outcomes for the nation’s youth, especially the vulnerable and disadvantaged. BEQUAL is focused on ensuring gender equality and promoting inclusive education across all activities.