The Adult Learner of French in an Anglophone Setting

Abstract

Unlike most other papers which are devoted to the discussion of the problems of normal French language teaching / learning in anglophone settings, this paper examines specifically the anglophone adult learner of French, his needs and objectives. The paper provides a brief history of the introduction of French into Africa, reflects on the beginnings and place of the language in Nigeria, particularly in the educational system and then goes on to identify adult French learner groups, their needs and objectives. The paper also discusses briefly the varieties of French and their implications for the anglophone adult learner and suggests French for communication, which is essentially oral, as the most appropriate variety of the language to be acquired by the adult leaner in an anglophone setting.