Abstract :
This article reports the results of an investigation into Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ frequency of language learning strategies (LLSs) overall as well as the six strategy types (memory, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, affective, and social) appearing in Oxfordʹs (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). It also aimed to find any significant differences between males and females regarding LLS use. One hundred Iranian university students, including males and females, randomly selected from junior and senior students majoring in English Translation and Literature, participated in this study. The findings revealed that first, the mean strategy use by the participants was 2.08 (SD = 0.49), indicating that they were medium strategy users overall; Second, metacognitive strategies were the most commonly used (M = 2.63), which were followed by cognitive strategies (M = 2.15), social strategies (M = 2.10), compensation strategies (M = 2.06), affective strategies (M = 1.73), and memory strategies (M = 1.64), and finally, there were no significant differences between males and females regarding their LLS use. These results may have some implications. First, English language teachers need to become more aware of learning strategies through appropriate teacher training courses. Second, teachers can help their students by designing instruction that meets the needs of individuals and by teaching students how to improve their learning strategies accordingly. Finally, as Iranian learners have been found to be medium strategy users overall, they could be encouraged to use all types of LLSs more frequently in their attempts to learn languages.
