Assessing English Language Learning in Saudi Arabia: Effective Tools and Practices

The English language learning assessment in Saudi Arabia for 2019 witnessed a relative decline compared to previous years, based on some results and reports of the EF Global English Proficiency Index (EPI), which is a general report that ranks English-speaking countries in the world. This index is published annually in order to identify widespread weaknesses in English language learning and work to provide effective tools, practices and strategies to improve the efficiency of English language proficiency and develop its skills in the best way. The results of this index showed a gradual decline in the English language learning assessment in Saudi Arabia during 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Problems of learning English in Saudi Arabia

Initiatives to raise the evaluation of English language learning in Saudi Arabia work to solve the problems facing students when learning English because the teaching process passes through a large gap between teachers and curricula that also need to keep pace with technological, educational and pedagogical developments through modern technologies.

The reasons for this gap are methodological and go back to the beginning of the design of the curriculum, which works to reduce the assessment of English language learning in Saudi Arabia. Despite all the efforts made to adopt teaching methods, the gap still exists because teachers use very traditional methods to deliver information. The initiatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are now working to give teachers new and effective ways to raise the assessment of English language learning in Saudi Arabia .

If we consider the English proficiency rate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it has witnessed a gradual and noticeable decline in the past three years, although the trends of the EF EPI index in 2019 in particular showed that some Middle Eastern countries witnessed a clear and tangible change, such as Bahrain, which ranked 55th with a percentage of 50.93, with the exception of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where the level of English proficiency declined significantly.

Reasons for Saudi Arabia's global decline in English language skills?

There are many reasons why the evaluation of English language learning in Saudi Arabia is very weak, as follows:

• Gender disparity : There is a significant gender disparity in English speaking rates . Although women represent a very large percentage of university students, their chances of finding work after graduation are lower, which reduces the use of the English they learned during their studies.

• Age and generation gap : The way English is learned in Saudi Arabia has not changed from previous years due to the low rate of English proficiency in the age groups ranging from 18 to 30 years and 31 to 35 years, and this rate may increase among young adults aged 36 and above.

• Defining English proficiency goals in narrow scopes: Unfortunately, the average proficiency in the English language learning assessment in Saudi Arabia is declining due to the fact that English proficiency goals are largely limited to academic or functional purposes. Here, the base of goals must be expanded when teaching English , so that the largest possible number of people can apply to learn it in order to benefit from it in various fields, the most important of which is international exchange in many fields.

• Unevenness in educational development services: One of the reasons for the low rating of English language learning in Saudi Arabia is the spread of the population of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in a huge geographical area, which has led to differences in education levels and infrastructure, which leads to differences in levels of English language education in all schools with the same efficiency and quality.

Solutions to improve English language learning in Saudi Arabia

There are many solutions that contribute to raising the evaluation of learning the English language in Saudi Arabia, the most important of which are:

For students:

• Set specific goals for English language learning, develop advanced study plans and work to achieve them in a timely manner.
• Learn English continuously, even for short periods, approximately 20 to 30 minutes a day.
• Try to master the English vocabulary, expressions and terms specific to your studies or work and use them on a regular basis.
• Develop the four English language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking with the same efficiency and practical practice.

Governments should develop the assessment of English language learning in Saudi Arabia in particular by:

• Determine comprehensive study plans, clarifying the curricula and the time required to master them at all educational levels.
• Evaluate students and teachers periodically.
• Design tests to assess English language learning in Saudi Arabia at the beginning and end of the year to determine students’ level.
• Develop training programs for teachers to improve their experience and competence in teaching English in Saudi Arabia.
• Ensure that teachers are selected with high experience and competence in teaching English.
• Determine the minimum level of qualification for English language teachers and train them to achieve the required proficiency.
• It is mandatory to learn English from an early age.

For teachers:

• Ensure the use of all modern educational methods that depend on direct communication with students, rather than academic education and traditional methods of indoctrination and memorization.
• Providing opportunities for students to practice English by providing educational activities, using games, making competitions and trips, and speaking English in any situation.

The role of technology in learning English in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is now making serious moves to start a new phase of English language learning assessment methods in Saudi Arabia. It is moving towards exploiting the role of technology in assessing English language learning in Saudi Arabia, and activating electronic applications in studying the educational curricula prescribed in public schools. Thus, Saudi Arabia will enter the realm of e-learning next year.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced this matter because the assessment of English language learning in Saudi Arabia requires many initiatives that work to raise the level of linguistic attainment and achieve the basic goal of having a curriculum that helps to advance the English language within the scope of general education.

Riyadh recently concluded a workshop held by the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Project to Help Develop Public Education in cooperation with the Educational Services Development Company, which targeted upcoming projects as part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s initiative to raise the rating of English language learning in Saudi Arabia.

The General Supervisor of the English Language Learning Assessment Initiative in Saudi Arabia explained that the workshop deals with the implementation of the e-learning project, which aims to develop the English language skills of approximately 2,000 male and female teachers in the first phase, and to train teachers on the best correct and effective teaching methods. The workshop reviewed the provision of curricula to increase the assessment of English language learning in Saudi Arabia for more than approximately 4 million students, taking into account comprehensive quality and applying modern national standards in teaching English language curricula.

Technology will play a major role in the initiative to develop English language learning in Saudi Arabia because the initiative seeks to improve students’ language skills in addition to communication skills by following different strategies and developing teachers’ skills to raise the level of English language assessment in Saudi Arabia by using all modern technical means in teaching and learning the language.

Modern teaching techniques will be used and applied to the English language curriculum starting from the next Hijri year, God willing. A method of the best and most modern methods of learning English using computers will be applied, called CALL. This is one of the most important steps that will support students, provide a new educational method, and raise the level of evaluation of learning English in Saudi Arabia, because it will depend on the communicative method in education and integrate it with teaching methods and add linguistic and cultural dimensions from reality to bring the language closer and facilitate learning for students using these modern educational methods.

School.com and English Language Courses

The Madrasa.com platform offers educational courses for learning English remotely by providing interactive lectures on the Zoom program, as well as providing:

• Affordable online English language learning lessons
• The class duration is 60 minutes so that the student does not feel bored.
• The platform also offers highly experienced private tutors who are tailored to the different levels of students.
• Regular updates and periodic follow-up to assess students' progress.
• Private lessons in all subjects and for all age groups.

Training methods in the English language course online on the Madrasa.com platform

The Madrasa.com platform is keen to use visual and auditory educational tools that aim to help students memorize words or synonyms as well as grammar, in addition to multiple exercises so that students can acquire English language skills in writing, listening and reading. There are also continuous exercises to acquire English speaking skills at the level of daily life and work, in addition to continuous evaluation and guidance of your level of progress in the English language and to raise the evaluation of learning the English language in Saudi Arabia.