the effect of learning strategies on the speaking ability of iranian students in the context of language institutes abstract language learning strategies are of the most important factors that help language learners to learn a foreign language and how they can deal with the four language skills specifically speaking skill effectively. acknowledging the great impact of learning strategies on learners achievement in different contexts, this survey study aimed at providing insights into figuring out if learning strategies can influence the speaking ability of language learners within the framework of private language centers.to this end, 60 homogeneous language learners studying at a private language center in shiraz, iran, were randomly divided into two groups of experimental and control. the experimental group received the strategy-instruction along with their usual conversation, and the control group received their usual nonstrategic instruction throughout a semester. at the outset of the study both groups were given two pre-tests, an interview to test their speaking ability and a questionnaire to check their awareness of the strategies. the same instruments were given to the participants as post-tests at the very end of the semester. using descriptive statistics, the findings of this study showed that instruction of the strategies makes a positive significant difference in the learners use of the strategies in private language centers. the study will discuss the implications of the research.