Analysis of the Effectiveness of the Assessment System in Enhancing Communicative Competence in Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language: A Field Study of Students at the Faculty of Usuluddin, Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University, Brunei Darussalam

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the assessment system employed in teaching Communicative Arabic at the Faculty of Usuluddin, Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University, Brunei Darussalam. The research specifically examines the system’s alignment with instructional objectives, its ability to measure students’ communicative competencies, and its comprehensiveness in covering the four essential language skills. Adopting a descriptiveanalytical methodology with a quantitative evaluative dimension, the study utilized a closed-ended questionnaire designed to assess ten evaluative dimensions, including content validity, construct validity, result validity, comprehensiveness, balance in score distribution, alignment with course content, and the integration of theoretical and practical components. The sample comprised 12 students, representing 40% of the total study population. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques, including frequency distributions, percentages, and mean scores. Findings revealed a high degree of alignment between the assessment system and curriculum goals (88.3%), satisfactory effectiveness in measuring oral (85%) and written (90%) competencies, and a relative balance in the distribution of scores across skills. Furthermore, the system demonstrated acceptable construct validity (81.7%), high result validity (93.3%), and notable comprehensiveness (88.3%). However, discrepancies were observed in the integration of practical components (80%), indicating a need for enhancement of authentic performance-based assessment tools. The study recommends redesigning oral assessment tools, expanding authentic assessment tasks, adopting global standards such as the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and promoting a culture of self-assessment. This research constitutes a significant contribution to advancing assessment strategies in teaching Arabic as a foreign language, ensuring the development of communicative competence and reinforcing the pedagogical-assessment synergy within Islamic higher education contexts.