Languages Other Than English
LOTE or Languages Other Than English is the name given to language subjects at Australian schools, and New York schools. LOTEs have often historically been related to the policy of multiculturalism, and tend to reflect the predominant non-English languages spoken in a school's local area, the idea being to play a part in the maintenance of cultural identities in local communities.
LOTE is also used to describe written material presented in languages other than English.
LOTE in Australia
LOTE is becoming an increasingly popular subject in Australian Schools. The Draft Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Languages, produced by ACARA, has suggested three tiers of languages to be taught in Australian schools:
| Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Italian | Japanese | Arabic |
| Chinese | French | Modern Greek |
| Indonesian | Vietnamese | |
| Korean | ||
| Spanish | ||
| German |
Tier 1 languages were chosen because they cater for the needs of the greatest number of students. Italian is learnt by the most number of students and Chinese is a national priority.
Tier 2 languages were chosen because French, Japanese, Indonesian and German are some of the most frequently taught languages in Australian schools, Indonesian, Japanese and Korean are national priorities and Spanish "is a language of global importance".
Tier 3 languages were chosen because Arabic, Modern Greek and Vietnamese are the most frequently spoken foreign languages in Australian homes, and Arabic is a language of global importance.
References
- LOTE at Victorian Essential Learning Standards
- LOTE as part of Multicultural Education Programs
- LOTE on Victorian Department of Education Website
- LOTE at Tasmanian Department of Education Website
- LOTE at Queensland Education
- LOTE part of Queensland education curriculum
- LOTE Learning Standards (New York)
- Draft Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Languages