Literacy Development

In Mae Jam, children face some challenges when it comes to literacy development. While the official language of Thailand is Thai, many children in Mae Jam grow up speaking Northern Thai, or “Kham Muang,” a regional dialect that is significantly different from standard Thai. This language barrier creates a gap in their educational experience, making it harder for them to access the same materials and resources that children in urban areas can easily access.

For these children, the transition from Northern Thai to standard Thai can be challenging. While they speak Northern Thai fluently at home and in their community, they often struggle to fully understand and use standard Thai in school. The written language is even more complicated, as the written form of Northern Thai differs from Thai, making it difficult for students to read and write in the national language. As a result, they miss out on many study materials, such as textbooks, assignments, and even instructions given by teachers, which are mostly in Thai.

This language gap also affects the children’s ability to engage with broader educational content. While urban schools are equipped with updated materials and teaching methods that incorporate both Thai and English, rural schools in Mae Jam often lack resources and teaching staff trained to handle language differences. As a result, students may fall behind in subjects like science, mathematics, and literature.

At the same time, the limited exposure to the Thai language outside of school means that students are not developing their literacy skills as quickly as their peers in the city, meaning that children in Mae Jam may struggle to improve their reading and writing abilities in the national language. This puts them at a disadvantage when it comes to standardized tests like the O-NET, A-LEVEL, and future job opportunities, all of which require fluency in Thai.

To solve this issue, there needs to be a literacy development program in Mae Jam focused on bridging the gap between Northern Thai and standard Thai. In 2022 “Steps of Sunshine” had a chance to work closely with the school administrators at Ban Thap School and Mae Chaem School, Mae Jam where we planned Trilingual education programs where students are taught in Northern Thai, Thai, and English giving them chance to understand all three languages in their oral and written forms.

Our goal of this program is to ensure that children in Mae Jam have equal access to the same educational opportunities as their peers in urban areas. With the right resources, support, and teaching methods, these children can overcome the language barrier and develop strong literacy skills that will serve them throughout their academic careers and into their future.