Language Assessment Literacy and Classroom-Based Language Testing Practices among EFL Teachers in the Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

In applied linguistics, language assessment literacy has emerged as a fundamental construct denoting teachers' knowledge, skills, and principles concerning language assessment. In EFL contexts, where classroom-based language testing is mostly designed and administered by teachers, it is crucial to understand how assessment literacy relates to testing practices. This cross-sectional correlational study examined Language Assessment Literacy (LAL), classroom-based language testing practices, and the relationship between the two constructs among 130 EFL teachers from six secondary schools and four universities in the Riyadh Region of Saudi Arabia. Of 168 eligible teachers invited between October 6 and November 28, 2025, 142 submitted questionnaires (84.5%), and 130 records met the analysis criteria. Participants completed a 25-item Language Assessment Literacy Questionnaire and a 20-item Classroom-Based Language Testing Practices Scale. Both researcher-developed instruments were informed by established frameworks, reviewed by five experts, and pilot-tested with 18 Saudi EFL teachers. Overall LAL was moderate (M = 3.62, SD = 0.47, alpha = .88), and reported testing practices were also moderate (M = 3.57, SD = 0.44, alpha = .86). Overall LAL correlated positively with reported practices, r(128) = .63, p < .001, 95% CI [.51, .72]. The regression model explained 39.7% of practice-score variance, R-squared = .397, adjusted R-squared = .392, F(1, 128) = 84.24, p < .001. Because both constructs were measured through self-report, the findings establish association rather than causation or verified classroom performance.