At Ferntree Gully North Primary School students study Japanese through a variety of experiences that ensures all students are engaged and motivated to learn. Students participate in the use of language through songs, stories, and games. They learn words associated with topics of interest and practice using them in conversation and also writing them in hiragana. Learning about festivals and traditions in Japan helps children understand their own culture by making comparisons.

The benefits of learning a second language include an increase in critical thinking skills, creativity, and flexibility of mind in young children. The frequent opportunities to perform in a group and to an audience that occur in L.O.T.E. nurtures pupils’ self-esteem and self-confidence and develops strong interpersonal skills. Students in L.O.T.E are learning much more than a second language and are loving it.