VIENTIANE: Thousands of students in Laos with hidden learning difficulties could soon receive better support in classrooms, as new practical tools are being developed to help teachers identify and respond to disabilities more effectively.
This week, the Ministry of Education and Sports, with the support of the Australian Government through the Basic Education Quality and Access in Laos (BEQUAL) programme, began writing the script of a new Teacher Development Video (TDV 29).
The video will complement the new Teacher Support Pack (TSP) 14 “Supporting Students with Disability in the Classroom”.
Central to TSP 14 is the Child Functioning Module – Teacher Version (CFM TV), a simple tool that helps teachers identify possible difficulties with attention, communication, memory, mobility, vision or hearing.
The new TDV 29 will focus on observable classroom behaviours that suggest a student may have difficulty in any of these areas, and guide teachers on how to complete the CFM TV accurately.
The script writing team brought together experts from the Research Institute of Educational Sciences, Teacher Training Colleges, the Department of Teacher Education, the Inclusive Education Promotion Centre, and the Communication team from BEQUAL.
Deputy Director of the Research Institute of Educational Sciences, Ms Manoly Dongvan, who opened the workshop, said every child has the right to education but, without adapted teaching, children with disabilities may never attend school or may drop out.
First Secretary at the Australian Embassy, Mr Michael Currie, said many children in Laos have unidentified learning support needs, and practical tools will help teachers support all learners.
The new resources will be introduced at the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year in 30 target districts, with pilot implementation in 18 schools in Xiengkhouang province. – Vientiane Times/ANN
