VCE LOTE Question!

[I_am_NickM8]

Hi all,

I was just wondering, but is it too hard to do a VCE LOTE without much prior knowledge? I studied the language (Italian) in primary school and the first few years of high school until dropping it due to subject clashes. I used to be quite good at it and got some of the highest marks in the class. Is it too hard and too late to do, or should I just not do it?

Thanks

[zhen]

It all depends on your level of Italian. Would you say your level is at about year 10 level for Italian? If so, then I'd say that it'd be extremely difficult but doable assuming you want to transfer into units 3/4 Italian. But you'll have heaps to catch up with and it might influence your other grades. If you're talking about units 1/2 Italian, then I'd say that It's definitely not too late to transfer in, since I feel like most of my learning in languages really started during units 1 and 2. Note that either way it'll be really difficult and getting top marks in languages at the start of high school is completely different to getting high marks during VCE.

[zhen]

Ok cool thank you! I am in Year 10 this year, and will be doing Year 11 next year, so I have a bit of time I guess. My friends do it and could help if I chose to do it. My Italian is okay, but not sure what level it's at though... Do you think it's doable?

Depends on what year you stopped Italian. But you've got heaps of time since you're only in year 10 this year. I feel like you can catch up to the level of your cohort during the long holidays if you devote an hour every day during those holidays. So, it'll be difficult but definitely doable to do it. Just note that doing languages in VCE is a lot of work and you'll have to put a bit more work than everyone else to get the same result, since you're behind.

[zhen]

Oh yeah cool. I stopped Year 9 due to subject clashes. Yeah I think I could catch up, I have grammar, vocabulary and verb books to help me. I've kinda decided what subjects I want to do in Year 11, and I'm one short on what I want to do and since nothing else interests me, this is probably the only one which seems useful. How did you find Chinese SL?

I found Chinese really difficult, because 90% of the cohort spoke at home and I didn't. But, it was still an enriching subject and you probably won't have the same problem as I did, as you won't be competing against people who have an advantage over you, since Italian isn't as widespread in Australia as Chinese.