Exploring the Relationship between Learner Variables and Application of Reading Strategies: The Case of Iranian EFL Learners

During the recent years, the debate on individual differences among language learners has led to great attention paid to the reading strategies used by successful learners. Researchers andteachers have become interested in finding out what strategies are used by successful learners and how they can be taught to unsuccessful ones. This study aims to examine the relationship between the reading strategy use of Iranian EFL pre-university learners and such learnervariables as the level of reading proficiency, gender, and fields of study. The study was conducted on pre-university learners sampled randomly from males and females in Shahrekord pre-university schools. It involved a Reading Comprehension Test, validated forthe purpose of this study, to assess the reading proficiency level of the learners. It also included a Reading Strategy Use Questionnaire developed by Mokhtari and Sheorey (2002), known as SORS, to estimate the learners awareness of their reading strategy use. Thequestionnaire also contained two questions about gender and fields of study of the learners.The research aimed at finding out the relationship between the use of reading strategies andthe so-called learner variables. Comparing the means of scores, research findings indicated that there is a significant relationship between the reading strategy use and reading proficiency level and fields of study. On the other hand, gender was found not to be significantly related to the learners use of reading strategies.

Keywords:

Learner variables , Reading strategies , Gender , Field of study