When our team goes to a primary school, we hold a book party to get children excited about reading. At the end, we leave a set of books in every classroom, so teachers can set aside a reading time each day.

In English, this is typically called "Sustained Silent Reading" (SSR) or "Free Voluntary Reading" (FVR) or Sustained Quiet Un-Interrupted Reading Time (SQUIRT). Such programs are already popular in many western countries; in Asia, they've been successful in South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand, among others.

However, we haven't found any reports of Sustained Silent Reading in countries such as Laos. One reason is that the countries where reading skills are poorest often don't have enough books that children are eager to read. Then the whole thing fizzles. It took us seven years to publish enough books to start this program.

How it works

Techniques for Sustained Silent Reading have evolved through use in many countries. Here are some basic principles:

Reading is fun. It's educational. It provides a way to continue one's education later in life. Information from books can lead to better health, better farming techniques, and better jobs. This reading program will greatly increase the amount of reading for enjoyment that each students does each day, leading to a lifetime habit of reading.

One reason people in Laos don't become avid readers is that they leave school with such weak reading skills, that it's too much work. Another reason is that there's not much in the Lao language to read. You can help! We invite you to sponsor a book. Thank you!