Teachers of French say the language is losing its appeal as a second-language.

QUEBEC - The head of the International Federation of Teachers of French says the language is losing its appeal as a second-language.

Some 1,700 French teachers from around the world are meeting in Quebec City this week for the federation's world congress. After English, French is the world's most widely taught language. But Dario Pagel says the language has struggled to prove its relevance in an era of globalization.

He says more and more students are flocking to Spanish and Chinese.

Supporters of the language stress it should not be seen as competing for influence against English.

"We can no longer only speak one language," said Clement Duhaime, a senior official with the International Organization of La Francophonie.