Nasrollah Kabirzadeh Najafabadi - Islamic Azad University of Najafabad

Speaking is one important skill in language learning. EFL students are sometimes faced with problems, while speaking to their interlocutors due to the lack of sufficient linguistic knowledge, and they have to quit the conversation. This study examines the use of speaking strategies by some Iranian male and female EFL university students .The use of these strategies was examined in relation to the EFL university students’ gender and their proficiency level based on which, they were classified as low, intermediate and high-proficient groups .A sample of ۱۰۰ Iranian EFL students was randomly selected .The sample consisted of students with different gender and proficiency levels. The questionnaire of communication strategies use was administered. It included five main categories in ۳۰ items for speaking. The results showed no differences related to the use of speaking strategies by EFL students and their gender. In relation to the use of speaking strategies by EFL students and their proficiency levels, no differences were observed, either. The implications of this study are discussed in this article.

Iranian EFL Students, communication strategies, gender, English proficiency level