Persian Community Language Learning: A Case Study of Four Persian Community Language Schools in Sydney, Australia

This paper will report the status of Persian language learning in four Persian community language schools in Sydney, Australia.This ongoing research, emanated as a pilot study in 2009 and continued as a PhD research from the beginning of 2011 onwards, aims to ireport challenges and issues informed by school principals, teachers, Persian heritage language learners and their parents. Ad hoc curriculum, lack of parental involvement, high rate of learners’ attrition, learners’ language proficiency diversity and paucity of professional teachers were among issues evolved from the pilot study. However, the ongoing PhD research is focusing on learners’ motivation and identity as cornerstones which impact the language learning and achievement among Persian heritage language learners attending one of the four schools in Sydney.