LOTE Pathway 2
Some students change languages in the transition between primary and secondary schooling. Pathway 2 describes programs designed for these students. Regardless of the language to be studied, the Pathway 1 Level 4 standard in the Intercultural knowledge and language awareness dimension is assumed as students commence the learning associated with Pathway 2 Level 5. Standards in the Classical languages category commence in Pathway 2.
The language curriculum is organised through themes and topics which are arranged to provide progressive and cumulative opportunities for students to develop language and cultural understandings. Themes and topics form the main organising principle for languages. The sequencing of activities and language content allows learners to build new skills, knowledge and attitudes on the levels they have already attained. This cumulative process supplies continuity and sequence to the learner and coherence for the teacher.
Four principles should guide the selection of topics:
- Topics that are culturally, socially or linguistically distinctive to the particular language concerned. This will vary for different languages.
- Topics which extend, reinforce or complement topics already covered and that permit an extension of the language expectations.
- Topics that are relevant and of interest to the students.
- Topics that integrate with themes, topics, or key areas being addressed in other domains.
All topic selection should be governed by its potential to contribute to systematic acquisition of the language and cultural understandings in one or both of the dimensions.
Opportunities must be provided for students to demonstrate not only their communicative competence, but also their intercultural understandings and language awareness through practical applications of the language.
Within each topic, time is devoted to the acquisition of new language, structures, communication conventions, ways of thinking about the topic/s and its expression, as well as comparisons between languages and cultures.
While students will develop at different rates, generally students will aim to achieve Pathway 2 Level 5 standards by the end of Year 8 and Pathway 2 Level 6 standards by the end of Year 10.
As students commence Year 7, they are expected to have studied another language other than English to Level 4 standard in both dimensions. Further development in the Intercultural knowledge and language awareness dimension is based on student familiarity with at least two languages, one of which is likely to be English, to the standard required by the Languages Other Than English domain at the end of primary schooling.
Students study language through themes and topics that introduce the key idea of the language domain: that many societies and many people within Australia normally use languages other than English for communication.
Language learning is organised around topics which provide opportunities for students to develop language and cultural understandings progressively. The topic/s are selected because of their importance in the systematic acquisition of the language and cultural understandings related to the specific target language, and may also relate to, or complement, aspects of study in other domains.
The dimensions are integrated and provide opportunities for students to exchange information and ideas based on the theme and topic and the individual student’s language competence at this level.
Within each topic and between topics, time is dedicated to the acquisition of new language, structures, communication conventions, ways of thinking about the topic/s and its expression, cultural knowledge and language awareness.
A wide range of activities are included in the learning program to encourage risk-taking and consolidation of language and cultural understandings.
Activities that are appropriate at these levels may vary, depending on the writing system used in the language being studied.
Students participate in communication forums as effective members of the target-language-speaking community.
Topics are selected because of their potential to contribute to systematic acquisition of the language and cultural understandings in both dimensions. Most topics will be familiar to students, should relate to their interests, and provide opportunities for investigation of issues, drawing on skills and knowledge acquired in other areas of the curriculum.
Students demonstrate their language and cultural understandings by adapting their skills and knowledge to their own uses. They use a range of learning tools, including multimedia tools, to encounter a wide range of language and cultural forms and practices. Both directed and independent learning is focused on acquisition of new language, structures, communication conventions, ways of thinking about the topic/s and their expression, as well as comparisons between languages and societies.
Activities that are appropriate at these levels may vary, depending on the writing system used in the language being studied.
Teaching activities are diverse and consolidate language and cultural understandings, encourage risk-taking, and use many materials and genres, texts and media.
Downloads
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Languages Other Than English (LOTE) (
PDF - 330KB) - Languages Other Than English (LOTE) (Doc - 256KB)
- Victorian Essential Learning Standards by Level
