This study addresses the problem that students in the Department of Arabic Language at the Faculty of Fundamentals of Religion, Quranic Sciences, and Arabic Language, Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah International Islamic University, Malaysia, are not fully benefiting from oral examinations in developing their language skills. The study aims to examine the effectiveness of oral exams in enhancing speaking and reading skills among first-semester students in the 2023 academic year. An experimental statistical method was employed, with a random sample of 23 male and female students drawn from a population of 51. An oral exam questionnaire was designed with four assessment criteria: memorisation and answering ability, fluency (pronunciation and coherence), explanation and expression, and persuasion with evidence and argumentation. Data were analysed using SPSS through means, standard deviations, Cronbach’s alpha for reliability, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient for validity. The findings revealed that the overall student performance was moderate (M = 2.18), with memorisation scoring the highest (M = 2.39) and persuasion the lowest (M = 2.00). Fluency and explanation both recorded moderate scores (M = 2.17). These results suggest that oral exams had a limited impact on language skill development due to insufficient preparation and training. The study recommends strengthening oral exam preparation by training students in public speaking, incorporating oral assessments regularly into the curriculum, and promoting activities such as presentations, debates, and classroom discussions. It further highlights the importance of digital tools for conducting remote oral exams and establishing clear standards for assessing oral fluency.
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