Lao is a language spoken in Lao PDR, among the Lao people living overseas and is also spoken in the North East region of Thailand. Laos consists of nearly 50 ethnic groups but ‘Lao‘ is the official language taught at school and spoken all around the country. Many westerners who have learned Lao find it possible to achieve basic level of speaking and even reading and writing in a considerably short time. A Lao/English dictionary will be supplied. Please note that the cost of materials for this course is payable to the tutor during the course, in addition to the course fee paid to the College. For more details, please refer to the “Materials“ section on the course webpage. No concession.

Agenda

Participants will be introduced to the following topics: Lao alphabets (reading and writing), tone marks, numbers, days and months, time telling, basic vocabularies relevant to the conversational topics (greeting, shopping, bargaining, ordering food in a restaurant), asking direction and basic grammar including making sentences, questions and answers.
Lao culture will also be a topic of discussion based on the experience of the westerners and vice-versa . Books and websites regarding Lao culture and Lao language for further reading will be introduced.

Course objective:
Despite the fact that this is a course for beginners, at the end of the course, the participants can expect to be familiar with the basic skills needed to start a basic conversation with Lao people with confidence.

Materials

Bring mug for tea/coffee, a snack, pen and paper, notes supplied. Bring $25 (payable to the tutor) first session for Lao/English dictionary.

If going to your course via the M5 please be aware that occasional roadwork on weekends may extend your travel time. Please allow plenty of time to arrive at your course on time.

Venue

Campbelltown Performing Arts HS is on Beverley Road, off Chamberlain Street.
Car parks are in the school grounds off Beverley Road.
Co-ordinators (Craig or Gavin) are located in the single level Administration building next to the Hall, from 7pm to 9pm.
Centre is 1.2km from railway station.

Comments from previous students of this class

The course covered both writing in Lao as well as talking both for survival as well as minimal social conversation. I enjoyed the course. EB