Conference Paper

French Language Education and Sustainable Development: The Constraints, Prospects and Perception of Polytechnic Undergraduates. (A case study of The Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro.)

Abstract Language as a tool for communication is very vital for every human being regardless of their professional or societal standing. In a world that is consistently becoming more connected, learning new languages is no longer an option, but should be considered a norm. Considered to be one of the powerful languages of the world in terms of diplomacy, politics and technology, the ability to speak the French language opens up numerous opportunities for Nigerian polytechnic graduates. Although French language education has been introduced into polytechnics in Nigeria, there is still a long way to go in ensuring that students do actually acquire the ability to converse in the language. This paper examines the perceptions of students of Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro to French language, while identifying challenges that students face in the learning of French language. Findings indicate that students encounter major challenges in the aspects of pronunciation and certain concepts that are foreign to the English language. However, sustained support from lecturers help them to overcome these challenges. It was also discovered that having an understanding of the possible benefits of French language motivates students to learn. The paper gives recommendations on how to ensure sustained interest for practical results in French language classes. Keywords: Development, Education, French Language, Motivation, Technology.