You know what it takes to prepare students for high-stakes language assessments like the AP, IB, ACCESS, or the Seal of Biliteracy. It’s not just about covering content. It’s about helping students build the confidence, fluency, and control they need to succeed in real-world testing scenarios.

But doing that consistently — across classes, levels, and schools — can be difficult without the right systems in place.

That’s where Speakable comes in. It gives you the tools to structure practice, deliver feedback, and track growth, all while staying aligned to the standards you already use.

Why Exam Prep Practice Matters

Teachers across the country tell us the same things:

  • Students aren’t getting enough structured practice with open-ended prompts
  • They feel unprepared when asked to respond on the spot
  • They don’t always know how to improve without clear, actionable feedback

You’re already working to solve this. Speakable helps make that work easier, more consistent, and more scalable.

How Teachers Are Using Speakable for Exam Prep

AP and IB Language Exams: Practicing Structured Speaking and Writing

Best for: High school students preparing for AP or IB Language & Literature exams

You’re guiding students through challenging texts, helping them build arguments, and training them to express complex ideas clearly. Speakable gives you a fast, consistent way to provide practice and feedback aligned to exam expectations.

What teachers are doing:

  • Creating speaking prompts that mirror AP and IB questions
  • Building compare-and-contrast tasks to support analysis across texts
  • Using rubric-based grading to provide clarity and reinforce expectations

Example prompt:
“How does the author use symbolism to develop the central theme of this passage?”

Your goal: Help students gain confidence and precision in their language use while deepening their analytical skills.

Pro tip: Upload your own scoring guides or AP-aligned rubrics into Speakable using the AI Rubric Builder to save time and ensure consistency.

ACCESS for ELLs: Building Speaking and Listening Proficiency

Best for: English learners preparing for WIDA ACCESS assessments

You’re helping students grow their academic English skills while navigating complex content. Speakable supports that work by giving you a structured space to build fluency and reinforce grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension.

What teachers are doing:

  • Using Repeat cards to strengthen pronunciation and fluency
  • Assigning open-ended speaking prompts to encourage structured expression
  • Giving instant feedback students can reflect on and improve

Example prompt:
“Describe a problem you had to solve at school. What steps did you take?”

Your goal: Support students in building the confidence to speak clearly, use academic vocabulary, and respond with structure.

Pro tip: Encourage students to review and re-record their responses using Speakable’s feedback tools. It’s a low-stress way to reinforce growth.

Seal of Biliteracy: Demonstrating Proficiency in the Target Language

Best for: Students working toward state or district biliteracy certification

You’re guiding students toward authentic communication in a second language — not just for the test, but for real-world application. Speakable helps you give them meaningful practice with tasks that reflect what the Seal requires.

What teachers are doing:

  • Assigning extended response activities that ask students to describe, narrate, or reflect
  • Creating compare-and-contrast tasks that explore cultural perspectives
  • Using rubrics tied to ACTFL proficiency levels to track growth

Example prompt:
“Describe a meaningful tradition from a country where your target language is spoken. Why is it important?”

Your goal: Help students demonstrate real proficiency through extended, thoughtful communication.

Pro tip: Use Student Portfolios to track progress and provide targeted support as students approach assessment readiness.

Tools That Support the Work You’re Already Doing

Speakable gives you the systems to do what you already know works — just with less friction and better insight.

Here’s how teachers are using Speakable’s built-in tools:

  • AI Builder: Create full activities from a simple prompt like “Design a writing task on cultural identity for Spanish 3.”
  • Bulk Page Creator: Upload vocab lists or prompt sets and convert them into activities in seconds.
  • AI Rubric Builder: Upload a PDF of your existing rubric and use a prompt to turn it into a grading tool inside Speakable.

These tools aren’t here to change what you do — they’re here to make it faster, cleaner, and easier to scale across classrooms.

Helping You Track Growth as You Teach

With Speakable, you don’t just assign. You get insight.

Every open-ended response — spoken or written — can be evaluated using your own rubrics. Speakable also provides automatic feedback on grammar, fluency, and clarity, helping students understand what to work on.

Over time, you can track individual and class-wide growth. You can monitor readiness, adjust instruction, and show students how far they’ve come.

If you’re preparing students to meet ACTFL benchmarks or move up WIDA levels, this visibility makes a real difference.

Final Thoughts

You’re already doing the hard work: guiding students toward fluency, building their confidence, and preparing them for success.

Speakable helps you do that work with structure, consistency, and visibility — without adding to your workload.

  • Create standards-aligned exam practice
  • Provide timely, actionable feedback
  • Track progress toward real proficiency

You already know what your students need. Speakable just helps you deliver it at scale.

Austin Meusch
February 9, 2025
5 min read