Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, has announced the findings of the first indicator assessing the Arabic language proficiency of the Abu Dhabi community.
The initiative is designed to develop an evidence-based tool for assessing Arabic language skills across the emirate and strengthening the language's standing in society.
His Excellency Dr Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, said: “The community Arabic language proficiency indicator represents an important step in our efforts to strengthen the position of Arabic in society and develop a deeper understanding of how the language is used across different generations and communities.
"By providing robust, evidence-based insights, it will help guide future language policies, educational programmes and cultural initiatives, ensuring they respond to genuine needs and deliver meaningful impact.
“Arabic is far more than a means of communication; it is a vessel of identity, culture and values. Through this initiative, we are building a knowledge base that supports the preservation and advancement of the Arabic language while reinforcing its role in everyday life.
"This work takes on added significance as the UAE prepares for the Year of the Family in 2026, recognising the family's vital role in nurturing language, strengthening cultural belonging and passing our heritage from one generation to the next.”
The initiative comes amid growing recognition of the Arabic language as a cornerstone of national identity, culture, and shared values. It also aligns with the UAE's broader ambitions to reinforce the role of Arabic across educational, cultural, and public domains.
The indicator further supports national efforts associated with the forthcoming UAE Arabic Language Law, which is expected to come into effect by 2027, by providing robust measurement tools to monitor linguistic skills and evaluate the impact of language-related policies and initiatives.
The indicator is based on field research and an innovative digital assessment tool presented in the form of an interactive challenge, encouraging broad community participation and motivating individuals from different backgrounds to evaluate their language abilities through an accessible format.
More than 4,000 native Arabic speakers across all age groups in Abu Dhabi took part in the initiative over the past eight months.
The assessment consisted of 12 multiple-choice questions designed to measure the acquisition of core Arabic language competencies.
These included morphology (word formation), syntax (sentence structure), spelling, and word meanings within context. Statistical analysis relied on Item Response Theory (IRT), a methodology widely used in international assessments.
By calibrating questions according to varying levels of difficulty, the model estimates participants' abilities and produces a standardised proficiency indicator.
The findings revealed broadly positive outcomes, with approximately 70 per cent of participants demonstrating satisfactory performance in the language skills measured by the assessment.
However, the indicator identified a noticeable weakness in morphology, which recorded the lowest performance levels across demographic groups. In contrast, participants performed strongly in understanding meanings and terminology within their linguistic contexts.
The results also highlighted notable demographic differences, with the youth segment under the age of 24 recording the weakest overall performance, scoring more than 15 percentage points below older age groups.
Emirati participants achieved a positive performance rate of 66 per cent, compared with 73 per cent among native Arabic-speaking residents.
Female participants slightly outperformed males, with proficiency rates of 72 per cent and 68 per cent respectively.
Overall, the findings point to promising opportunities to strengthen Arabic language skills through targeted educational and community programmes.
Building on areas of relative strength could help support the development of weaker language skills and further reinforce the presence of Arabic in society.
The community Arabic language proficiency indicator is expected to serve as an important long-term benchmark for tracking the evolution of Arabic language skills across society. It will also support the design of programmes and initiatives that respond to the genuine needs of target groups.
