Bridging the Gap Between Assessment Literacy and Practice: A Sociocultural Exploration of EFL Instructors’ Classroom Assessment in Saudi Higher Education

This study investigates classroom assessment practices among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instructors in Saudi universities from a sociocultural perspective, with particular attention to the relationship between instructors’ language assessment literacy (LAL) and their classroom assessment practices. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 63 EFL instructors, while qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with six instructors. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS (Version 22.0), and qualitative data were examined using hybrid thematic analysis. The findings reveal a strong reliance on traditional assessment methods, with limited integration of alternative assessment practices. No statistically significant relationship was found between teaching experience and assessment practices, suggesting that assessment behavior is shaped more by contextual and institutional factors than by professional experience alone. Qualitative results further indicate that peer assessment, portfolio-based assessment, and performance tasks are perceived as the most challenging forms of assessment, primarily due to time constraints, large class sizes, limited training, and institutional constraints. The study highlights a persistent gap between assessment literacy and classroom practice and demonstrates that this gap is strongly mediated by sociocultural and institutional conditions. The study contributes to the integration of LAL and sociocultural theory by showing that assessment literacy is a situated practice rather than a purely technical competence. Implications are offered for enhancing professional development and for aligning institutional policies with more formative and learner-centered assessment practices in Saudi higher education.