Second Language Learning Strategies: In Pursuit of a Profile for Persian Language

Conducting an applied research, the authors of this article sought to investigate the strategies applied by foreign students for learning Persian as their second language. Learning strategies are defined by Oxford (1990) as “specific actions taken by the learner to make learning easier, faster, more enjoyable, more self-directed, more effective, and more transferrable to new situations.” Different studies have supported the claim. While they have been repeatedly addressed in different languages, including English, only cognitive and meta-cognitive learning strategies have been studied by Iranian researchers. This research was conducted using the Oxford Learning Strategies Questionnaire (1990). First, the 50-question questionnaire was translated into Persian. Then, its reliability was calculated through a pilot test taken by 30 Persian learners. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.80. Therefore, the questionnaire was revised to some extent to compensate for the low coefficient. Words deemed difficult by the participants were replaced by less difficult ones. 156 students who studied Persian as their second language in Imam Khomeini International University filled in the revised questionnaire. The data were then analyzed by SPSS. The findings demonstrated that Persian language learners sometimes used Persian learning strategies. Moreover, they were shown to use meta-cognitive strategies more and retrieval strategies less than other strategies.