MAPPING THE MAHARAH KALAM COMPETENCIES OF ARABIC LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDENTS BASED ON CEFR DESCRIPTORS

Abstract

Speaking skill is one of the core competencies that Arabic Language Education students are expected to master. However, its achievement has so far been evaluated through local assessment practices and has not yet been positioned within an internationally recognized reference framework. This study aims to map the maharah kalam competence of students in the Arabic Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, UIN Mataram, based on the descriptors of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). This study employed a descriptive quantitative approach using total sampling involving 117 second-semester students of the Arabic Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, UIN Mataram, in the 2025/2026 academic year. Data were obtained from the students’ final examination results for the Maharah al-Kalam li al-Mutaqoddimin course, covering five assessment aspects: pronunciation and intonation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension and content. The students’ scores were converted to a 0–100 scale and then mapped onto the six CEFR levels (A1–C2). The results showed that, of the 112 students assessed, none were classified at level A1, 21.4% at A2, 23.2% at B1, 9.8% at B2, 14.3% at C1, and 31.2% at C2. This distribution formed a bimodal pattern, indicating a substantial proficiency gap among students. Pronunciation and intonation obtained the highest mean score (2.73), while comprehension and content had the lowest mean score (2.46). These findings indicate the need for a more differentiated instructional approach and greater emphasis on functional communication rather than merely the mechanical aspects of pronunciation.