the effect of concentration-attention raising tasks on iranian beginner efl learners’ vocabulary achievement: gender in focus

Concentration-attention is likely to make important contributions to language learning among learners, particularly beginners. to improve this ability, the researcher of this study designed several tasks (e.g. concentration-attention raising tasks: carts) to investigate their effects on vocabulary achievement among beginner efl learners in iranian settings. to do so, 48 beginner efl learners studying at a language institute in torbat-e hedariyeh were homogenized and selected by administering the key english test (ket) through a convenience sampling. the study used a quasi-experimental design. the eligible participants were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. it is necessary to mention that both males and females took part in the study since the study, also, focused on the gender’s correlation to vocabulary achievement. at the outset of the study, both groups sat for the pretest (researcher-made vocabulary test). the t-test results showed no significant difference between the two groups before the study. while participants in the experimental group received carts before instructing new words, those in the control one did not receive any task. at the end of the study, a post-test (the same as the pretest) was administered to the participants of the two groups. data analysis (t-test) indicated significant outperformance of the experimental group over the control one in the post-test and, it supported the role of carts in improving concentration-attention among beginners as an effective factor in vocabulary achievement. also, it was found that there was not any significant relationship between gender and vocabulary achievement in control and experimental groups.