French Immersion Education in Nigeria: Impacts on Language Proficiency and Cross-cultural Competence

Abstract

This study examined the French Immersion Education in Nigeria: Impacts on Language Proficiency and Cross-Cultural Competence. Drawing on socio-cultural theory and communicative language teaching, the research employed a mixed-method, quasi-experimental design with a stratified sample of 480 secondary school students (240 Immersion, 240 Non-immersion). Data were collected through a French proficiency test aligned with CEFR descriptors, a cross-cultural competence scale, and background questionnaires, complemented by semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and curriculum document analysis. Quantitative analysis adopted descriptive statistics, paired-sample t-tests, and ANCOVA to assess proficiency gains and control for baseline differences, while multilevel modeling accounted for school-level variation. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically to explore pedagogical practices and contextual factors influencing program outcomes. It was hypothesized that immersion students would achieve significantly greater improvements in French proficiency and cross-cultural competence compared to their peers in traditional classrooms, with outcomes influenced by program intensity, teacher expertise, and community language environments. The findings would inform policy reforms, teacher training, and curriculum design, offering evidence-based strategies for scaling immersion education in Nigeria’s multilingual context. More broadly, the study contributes to research on second language acquisition and inter-cultural learning in post-colonial educational settings.