About the Project
The Arabic SBLA Project is a collaborative effort between the American University in Cairo and the SBLA Lab. Launched in October 2021, the Arabic SBA team will be developing its CEFR B1-level prototype of the assessment through the spring of 2022.
The Arabic SBA Team
Atta Gebril is professor and director of the TESOL program in the Department of Applied Linguistics, the American University in Cairo. He obtained his PhD in Foreign Language and ESL Education with a minor in language testing from the University of Iowa (USA). He previously worked for American College Testing (ACT, Inc.) where he was part of the Workkeys team. In addition, he has been working as an assessment and evaluation consultant and currently serves on the TOEFL Committee of Examiners (COE). His research interests include integrated writing assessment, assessment literacy, and test validation. He serves on the editorial boards Language Assessment Quarterly, Assessing Writing and TESOL Journal. In January 2018, he joined the Language Assessment Quarterly editorial team as an associate editor. His book entitled Assessment myths, co authored with Lia Plakans, was published by the University of Michigan Press in 2015. His book “learning-oriented language assessment” was published by Routledge in 2021. In 2018, he won the ‘best article in the field of language testing’ award from the International Language Testing Association (ILTA).
Atta Gebril is professor and director of the TESOL program in the Department of Applied Linguistics, the American University in Cairo. He obtained his PhD in Foreign Language and ESL Education with a minor in language testing from the University of Iowa (USA). He previously worked for American College Testing (ACT, Inc.) where he was part of the Workkeys team. In addition, he has been working as an assessment and evaluation consultant and currently serves on the TOEFL Committee of Examiners (COE). His research interests include integrated writing assessment, assessment literacy, and test validation. He serves on the editorial boards Language Assessment Quarterly, Assessing Writing and TESOL Journal. In January 2018, he joined the Language Assessment Quarterly editorial team as an associate editor. His book entitled Assessment myths, co authored with Lia Plakans, was published by the University of Michigan Press in 2015. His book “learning-oriented language assessment” was published by Routledge in 2021. In 2018, he won the ‘best article in the field of language testing’ award from the International Language Testing Association (ILTA).
Wael Amer is the Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Advisor of the UCCD Project. He has a masters in educational and social research and is currently completing his Ph.D in educational assessment and measurement at UCL Institute of Education, London, UK. Wael has 20+ years of experience in monitoring, evaluation, and assessment in higher education institutions in Egypt and the UK. He has also collaborated with prominent international development organizations including UNICEF, UNESCO, UNWomen, OECD, and USAID in educational reform and policy evaluation projects in Egypt, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, and United Arab Emirates. Wael is responsible for monitoring the progress of the UCCD Project towards its goals as well as the systematic development of organizational MEL functions and staff at partner universities.
Wael Amer is the Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Advisor of the UCCD Project. He has a masters in educational and social research and is currently completing his Ph.D in educational assessment and measurement at UCL Institute of Education, London, UK. Wael has 20+ years of experience in monitoring, evaluation, and assessment in higher education institutions in Egypt and the UK. He has also collaborated with prominent international development organizations including UNICEF, UNESCO, UNWomen, OECD, and USAID in educational reform and policy evaluation projects in Egypt, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, and United Arab Emirates. Wael is responsible for monitoring the progress of the UCCD Project towards its goals as well as the systematic development of organizational MEL functions and staff at partner universities.
Iman A. Soliman is the chair of the Department of Arabic Language Instruction (ALI), and a senior II Arabic Language instructor. She joined AUC in 2006 as a full-time faculty member. She initiated the Center of Advanced Arabic Study in Cairo (CAASIC), and acted as CAASIC director (2013 – 2017) as well as the executive director of the Center of Arabic Study Abroad (CASA) at AUC (2010 – 2016).
Iman earned her BA in English literature from Ain Shams University. In 2003, she received her PhD in TAFL from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Soliman has taught Arabic language and culture since 1991 in Middlebury College, the University of Edinburgh, University of St. Andrews as well as in International House, Cairo.
In 2004 to 2006, she participated in the Educational Reform Program conducted by the Supreme Council of Education in Qatar and led teacher-training workshops for Arabic first language teachers. Soliman also participated in several national and international AFL conferences and has given presentations, and was AFL keynote speaker in Kazakhstan, and the University of Portland. She also co-authored a number of AFL books.
Soliman is a winner of the AUC Excellence in Teaching Award (2011) and the AUC Excellence in Academic Service Award (2015). (see more)
Iman A. Soliman is the chair of the Department of Arabic Language Instruction (ALI), and a senior II Arabic Language instructor. She joined AUC in 2006 as a full-time faculty member. She initiated the Center of Advanced Arabic Study in Cairo (CAASIC), and acted as CAASIC director (2013 – 2017) as well as the executive director of the Center of Arabic Study Abroad (CASA) at AUC (2010 – 2016).
Iman earned her BA in English literature from Ain Shams University. In 2003, she received her PhD in TAFL from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Soliman has taught Arabic language and culture since 1991 in Middlebury College, the University of Edinburgh, University of St. Andrews as well as in International House, Cairo.
In 2004 to 2006, she participated in the Educational Reform Program conducted by the Supreme Council of Education in Qatar and led teacher-training workshops for Arabic first language teachers. Soliman also participated in several national and international AFL conferences and has given presentations, and was AFL keynote speaker in Kazakhstan, and the University of Portland. She also co-authored a number of AFL books.
Soliman is a winner of the AUC Excellence in Teaching Award (2011) and the AUC Excellence in Academic Service Award (2015). (see more)
Mona is a passionate Arabic as a foreign language (AFL) instructor, researcher, and material developer who has been teaching Arabic both online and offline for nine years. She holds a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics (Teaching Arabic as a foreign language) from the American University in Cairo and an Arabic OPI tester certification from ACTFL. Her thesis focused on students’ perceptions toward reading and creating digital comics in the online AFL classroom. Furthermore, Mona has presented at four national and international conferences. Her conference presentations are titled “Integrating Comics in the Online AFL classroom”, “It’s fun to Make comics! Integrating Digital comic creation tasks in the online AFL classroom”, “Digital Tools for Formative Assessment”, and “Functions and collocations of ʔeeh in Egyptian TV drama language: A corpus-based study”. In addition, she is the founder of arabicglobal.com, a website that offers Arabic video lessons and Arabic language services for AFL students.
Mona is a passionate Arabic as a foreign language (AFL) instructor, researcher, and material developer who has been teaching Arabic both online and offline for nine years. She holds a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics (Teaching Arabic as a foreign language) from the American University in Cairo and an Arabic OPI tester certification from ACTFL. Her thesis focused on students’ perceptions toward reading and creating digital comics in the online AFL classroom. Furthermore, Mona has presented at four national and international conferences. Her conference presentations are titled “Integrating Comics in the Online AFL classroom”, “It’s fun to Make comics! Integrating Digital comic creation tasks in the online AFL classroom”, “Digital Tools for Formative Assessment”, and “Functions and collocations of ʔeeh in Egyptian TV drama language: A corpus-based study”. In addition, she is the founder of arabicglobal.com, a website that offers Arabic video lessons and Arabic language services for AFL students.
Gihan Hamdi Hussein is a young researcher, a language instructor in the Department of English Language Instruction and a graduate fellow in Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language program at the American University in Cairo. Starting off her career as a teacher of English, she graduated with honors from the faculty of Arts, Department of English Language and Literature at Cairo University in 2009. She earned her master’s degree in TESOL from the Department of Applied Linguistics at the American University in Cairo in 2018. Gihan is aspiring to pursue research focusing on the teaching of Arabic as a foreign language and the challenges facing AFL teachers post the pandemic.
Gihan Hamdi Hussein is a young researcher, a language instructor in the Department of English Language Instruction and a graduate fellow in Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language program at the American University in Cairo. Starting off her career as a teacher of English, she graduated with honors from the faculty of Arts, Department of English Language and Literature at Cairo University in 2009. She earned her master’s degree in TESOL from the Department of Applied Linguistics at the American University in Cairo in 2018. Gihan is aspiring to pursue research focusing on the teaching of Arabic as a foreign language and the challenges facing AFL teachers post the pandemic.