LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGIES: A STUDY OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS OF PERSIAN IN THE UNITED STATES

This study identifies and compares the language learning strategies used by 166 university students learning Persian (Farsi), a less commonly taught language. The data were collected from: the University of California at Berkeley (UCB), the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), and the University of Texas at Austin (UT), using questionnaires: the Individual Background Questionnaire (IBQ) and the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL).
In descriptive analyses of the SILL, results showed that participants reported using compensation and social strategies most, followed by cognitive, metacognitive, memory, and affective strategies. On the other hand, students reported less frequent use of memory and affective strategies.
This higher use of language learning strategies likely corresponds to the number of heritage learners and is an indication of a potential existing association. In short, the results of this study provide empirical description of the learning strategies in learners of Persian, a previously unstudied group of language learners. The study concludes with a list of practical implications for Persian instruction.