Literature in Persian Language Pedagogy: Learning Persian through Eulogies and Accolades

This paper focuses on using classical and contemporary eulogies and accolades in teaching Persian as a second language. The oratory skills, vocabulary, and syntax used in obituarial, memorial, religious, and political texts and speeches not only enhance learners’ linguistic proficiency but also introduce them to a cultural phenomenon that is an intrinsic part of the Iranian experience.

Yass Alizadeh is a clinical associate professor and the Coordinator of the Persian Program at New York University where she teaches classes on Persian language, and the literature of Iran and Afghanistan. Born and raised in Mashhad, Iran, Yass finished her undergraduate studies at the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and pursued MA degrees in English Literature from Tehran University and the University of Toronto. She has a PhD in Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies from the University of Connecticut and has published academic articles on language pedagogy as well as on Persianate literature and folktales. Yass has been the language consultant for The Kite Runner on Broadway, and has served as Persian language ambassador to Planet Word Museum in Washington DC, where her digital tableau is on permanent display in the Spoken World Gallery.