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Part of
Applied Linguistics in the Middle East and North Africa: Current practices and future directions
Edited by Atta Gebril
[AILA Applied Linguistics Series 15] 2017
► pp. 203–225

Chapter 9
The development and validation of an Arabic language test in Saudi Arabia

| National Center for Assessment (NCA), KSA
| National Center for Assessment (NCA), KSA

This chapter describes the development and validation of the Standardized Test of Arabic Proficiency in Speakers of Other Languages (STAPSOL) at the National Center for Assessment (NCA) in Saudi Arabia. The chapter describes the theoretical foundations and blueprint of the test, including the test components, their selection criteria and respective weight. The chapter also addresses issues related to the scoring process, with specific focus on rater training, scoring rubrics, and investigation of psychometric qualities using both G-theory and multifaceted item response theory. In closing, the chapter looks at planned and possible future developments of and improvements to the test, particularly by formally linking it to the CEFR using well-established procedures.

Keywords: standardized testing, Arabic, CEFR, Assessment Use Arguments, Saudi Arabia
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Arabic L2 tests
  • STAPSOL
    • Test objective
    • Theoretical framework
    • Specifications – components and weights
    • Item writing and review
    • Scoring
    • Research
    • Validity and reliability
    • Differentiating between different levels of proficiency
    • The FW component
    • A Simplified Assessment Use Argument (AUA) – generalizability of tasks and relevance of research
    • Future directions: Formally linking STAPSOL to the CEFR
  • Summary and conclusions
  • References
  • Appendix
Published online: 18 July 2017
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/aals.15.09nor
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