Enhancing Grade 5 Lao Language Literacy in the Lao PDR: Multi-Dimensional Factors and Strategic Guidelines from Administrative Perspectives

Reading skills in the Lao language serve as a crucial foundation for academic success and lifelong learning among Grade 5 students in the Lao PDR, bridging primary education with higher-level cognitive development. The objectives of this research were to: (1) examine the key factors influencing the Lao language reading ability of Grade 5 primary school students, and (2) propose strategic guidelines for developing these reading skills based on the perspectives and insights of educational administrators. Utilizing a qualitative research design, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with a target group of 12 experienced educational administrators, including provincial and district officers as well as primary school principals. Data were analyzed using Content Analysis and Thematic Analysis.

The research encountered that: (1) Factors Affecting Reading Ability: Key factors spanned three major dimensions: Student-level factors, particularly linguistic barriers related to ethnic/local dialects and the negative impacts of social media usage; Internal/School-level factors, including conventional teaching methods that lack student engagement, insufficient instructional media, and gaps in academic management; and External/Family-level factors, such as low socioeconomic status and limited parental supervision. (2) Development Guidelines: Strategic solutions focused on upgrading teacher competencies through Active Learning approaches, designing contextualized instructional materials, establishing classroom "Reading Corners," implementing a "Reading Diary" program to enhance home-school collaboration, and offering targeted remedial classes for ethnic minority students and struggling readers through participatory management.