OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview)

  • Administered by: ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages).
  • Purpose: Measures speaking proficiency in a real-life conversational setting.
  • Format: A live 20–30 minute interview (telephone or online) with a certified tester.
  • Scoring: Based on ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines (Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Superior, Distinguished; each with sublevels like Low, Mid, High).
  • Use Cases:
    • Widely accepted for academic credit, government jobs, and professional certification.
    • Common for teachers of foreign languages to demonstrate proficiency.
  • Arabic-Specific Notes: Tests Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), but dialect assessment can sometimes be arranged.