Vientiane: The Ministry of Education and Sports of the Lao PDR, in partnership with the Australian Government, presented the achievements of the ‘Spoken Lao teaching and learning materials’ at the What Works Hub for Global Education Conference 2026, held at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, from 15-16 September 2026. The presentation highlighted how evidence, classroom research, and partnership have strengthened Lao language and literacy foundations for Grade 1 students, particularly non-Lao-speaking children.
According to Lao News Agency, the initiative shared important lessons and experiences in using evidence and findings from classroom-based research to develop an education innovation and scale it up nationally. Beginning as a pilot in seven districts between 2019 and 2021, the project expanded to 21 districts during the 2023-2024 school year. Based on pilot results, evaluations, and continuous improvement, Spoken Lao was formally incorporated into supplementary teaching and learning for the Lao
language subject within the national curriculum.
The materials focus on developing Lao listening and speaking skills among Grade 1 primary students, particularly those whose mother tongue is not Lao or who experience difficulties in language learning. The package includes a teacher guide, student books, educational games, paper puppets, and vocabulary cards, utilizing student-centred teaching and learning approaches.
Dr Vongphet Oudomlith, Director General of the Research Institute for Educational Sciences, emphasized the successful collaboration with the Australian Government through the Basic Education Quality and Access in the Lao PDR programme, BEQUAL. The initiative was implemented systematically in line with the principles of education science. Dr Keomany Thongpaseuth, Vice Head of the Lao Language Research Centre, noted that the presentation at Oxford was an opportunity to showcase the Spoken Lao initiative and share the Lao PDR’s experience with the international education community.
Michael Currie
, First Secretary at the Australian Embassy in the Lao PDR, expressed pride in supporting the development of the materials, highlighting the value of cooperation in creating sustainable practices that establish strong language and literacy foundations for children. This initiative is seen as an investment in human resource development and the long-term development of the Lao PDR.
The conference provided an opportunity for the Lao delegation to exchange knowledge and learn from international education reform experiences. These lessons will inform research, curriculum development, innovation pilots, and efforts to improve learning quality in the Lao PDR. The insights will also support ongoing reforms of the general education curriculum structure, led by the Ministry of Education and Sports, and help expand academic exchange networks for future adaptation to the Lao context.
