As a mixed -method research, this study explored the metacognitive reading strategies used by Iranian ESP learners with respect to their English background knowledge and gender. To this End, 278 ESP students of Literature and Humanities participated in the study. Quantitative data were collected through the survey of reading strategies Questionnaire developed and validated by Mohair and Shore(2002) and revalidated through factor analysis in the present Study. A semi-structured interview was also conducted, and content analyzed for triangulation purposes. Results of a two-way ANOVA indicated English background Knowledge and gender, taken in isolation, significantly affected the participants’ reading strategy use. However, the interaction of the two variables yielded no significant differences. Moreover, those with background knowledge tended to significantly use more reading strategies, compared with their no-English background counterparts. Among the three groups of Metacognitive strategies, both groups, with and without English background knowledge, tended to adopt problem-solving strategies as the most and support reading and global reading strategies as the least frequently used ones. Also, gender made a significant difference in strategy use with the females outperforming their male counterparts in the use of problem – solving strategies.
