The Test Preparation Tool is a prototype web-based platform being developed collaboratively by the Digital Operations and EnglishConnect teams. Its purpose is to help learners progress from Intermediate-High to Advanced-High on the ACTFL proficiency scale (equivalent to B2+ on the CEFR scale) in speaking proficiency, using task types and performance standards measured by the Versant English Test and other common English assessments. 

Phase 1 focuses on a web version with a mobile-first interface. Future phases may explore expansion into a mobile app or Companion Native integration. From the beginning, the tool is designed to offer structured exam-style practice, immediate feedback, and faith-aligned content options that support both language development and spiritually grounded learning habits. 

The Test Preparation Tool combines advanced speaking and listening practice with a faith-consistent learning experience. Phase 1 focuses on core functionality while keeping the design ready for future expansion. 

Speaking & Listening Practice 

Learners practice Versant-style tasks, including: 

• Read Aloud:  reading short passages to practice pronunciation and rhythm. 

• Repeat:  listening once and repeating sentences exactly. 

• Short Answer:  answering quick factual questions under time limits. 

• Story Retell: listening to a short narrative and responding to follow-up questions. 

• Open Questions / Extended Response: giving longer, spontaneous responses that express ideas, opinions, and explanations. 

These activities imitate real exam pressure while keeping the tone supportive and growth-oriented. 

Practice Modes & Feedback 

Learners can choose between Practice Mode (slower pacing, more explanation) and Exam Simulation Mode (timed, Versant-like conditions). Feedback options—Basic, Detailed, or Exam-Style—highlight pronunciation patterns, fluency, grammar, and vocabulary, using simple language and an encouraging, faith-aligned tone. 

Personalized Sessions & Progress Views 

Behind the scenes, a tagged prompt library (topic, level, domain, communicative function) allows the system to generate sessions by skill type, difficulty, or professional domain (e.g., business, nursing, agriculture, hospitality). Early versions will provide basic learner progress views and error history; more advanced dashboards for teachers and admins are envisioned for later phases. 

Faith and Everyday Modes Integrated 

The tool utilizes a unified content mode that seamlessly blends faith-aligned and everyday, globally relevant topics within the same learning experience. Learners may encounter prompts relating to family, work, education, service, community, technology, health, or gospel-related ideas when appropriate. Content is not separated into two pathways; instead, it supports natural communication that reflects both spiritual and temporal aspects of life. 

All content follows BYU-Pathway Worldwide content guardrails, ensuring a tone that is wholesome, respectful, and uplifting. This integrated approach helps learners grow in English proficiency while building confidence and faith-based self-reliance. 

The tool targets upper-intermediate to advanced speakers working toward CEFR B2+ / Advanced High proficiency, with a primary focus on speaking and listening. At this level, learners should be able to: 

• Understand extended speech and complex ideas in academic, professional, and everyday contexts. 

• Interact fluently and spontaneously with native or near-native speakers, with only occasional hesitation. 

• Produce clear, detailed speech that explains viewpoints, supports arguments, and responds coherently under time pressure. 

• Use a broad range of vocabulary, structures, and cohesive devices to manage discussions naturally. 

The underlying prompt library is currently calibrated for B1+ → B2+, allowing the tool to scaffold practice from high-intermediate into advanced-mid performance. Linguistic development focuses on: 

• Fluency and cohesion – producing connected speech at natural speed. 

• Functional language use – describing, hypothesizing, narrating, persuading, and defending opinions. 

• Domain-specific English – optional practice in areas such as business, healthcare, community service, or technology. 

1. Why would a Pathway or BYU student need or benefit from this tool?

A Pathway or BYU student needs this tool because, once they begin university-level coursework, the English required is no longer intermediate—it is advanced, academic, and functional. Classes demand that students participate in discussions, explain ideas clearly, present projects, understand complex instructions, and communicate professionally. Many students enter Pathway or BYU with a solid foundation (B1/B1+), but they still lack the fluency, accuracy, and confidence needed to operate naturally in an academic or workplace environment. This tool allows them to practice exactly those skills, using Versant-modeled tasks and immediate AI feedback that helps them correct errors and steadily improve. 

University and professional life also require speaking under pressure: responding spontaneously, summarizing information, defending opinions, and expressing complex ideas coherently. The Test Preparation Tool prepares learners for these real-world situations better than general language apps because its entire design focuses on speaking, thinking, and responding at the level that university and career settings demand, not just learning basic vocabulary or phrases. For a Pathway or BYU student, this tool becomes a bridge between “understanding English” and “using English confidently to succeed academically, spiritually, and professionally.” 

2. What is the Versant English Test? What skills does it evaluate, and what is its format? 

The Preparation Test is a computer-based language proficiency exam developed by Pearson that measures real-time speaking and listening skills. It focuses on pronunciation, fluency, sentence construction, vocabulary, and comprehension, assessing how effectively a person can understand and respond in English under timed conditions. The test includes short tasks such as reading sentences aloud, repeating spoken phrases, answering questions, retelling short stories, and expressing opinions. Its format is fully automated and designed to provide objective scoring based on actual communication performance rather than theoretical knowledge. 

3. Will learners be able to choose between different exam types, such as Versant, IELTS, TOEFL, or Duolingo English Test? 

Not in the first release. Phase 1 will focus exclusively on Versant-style activities because this project is specifically designed as a Versant preparation and advanced speaking-practice tool. However, the platform is being built in a modular way. Future phases may introduce exam-specific study tracks and flexible scoring profiles that allow practice in formats similar to IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo English Test, or other assessments, depending on future priorities.   

4. What can a learner achieve at a B2+ level (Advanced-High proficiency)? 

According to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), a learner at the B2+ level is able to: 

• Understand the main ideas of complex speech and writing, including technical discussions in their field. 

• Interact fluently and spontaneously with native speakers without major difficulty. 

• Produce clear, detailed speech and writing on a wide range of subjects, explaining viewpoints and supporting arguments logically. 

• Use a broad vocabulary and cohesive language to connect ideas smoothly. 

At this level, learners can effectively participate in academic, professional, and social environments, demonstrating both linguistic accuracy and confidence. 

5. Will this feature be part of the Companion app? 

Not at this stage. The Test Preparation Tool is being developed as a separate web-based practice environment, focused specifically on advanced speaking proficiency and Versant-style tasks. In the future, it could be linked from existing courses or integrated into other systems (such as Companion Native or an LMS), but those decisions have not been made yet. For now, the priority is to test the activities themselves and confirm that they effectively help learners improve.  

6. When will it be available? 

The project is currently in its early development phase, led by the EnglishConnect and Digital Operations teams. No official release date has been announced yet. The web version will launch first, followed by potential future expansions once the pilot version is tested and reviewed.  

7. If learners already have resources like Duolingo, Church-supported EnglishConnect programs, or other language apps, why is the Versant Test Preparation Tool necessary?  

EnglishConnect helps learners build foundational and intermediate skills (A1–B1/B1+), and commercial apps focus on vocabulary, simple grammar, and gamified practice. However, they do not offer the advanced, time-pressured speaking tasks, pronunciation analytics, fluency metrics, or open-response feedback needed for professional and academic performance. 

The Test Preparation Tool was created to fill this exact gap. It provides Versant-aligned practice, AI-driven feedback, domain-specific prompts, and an optional faith-integrated mode that supports both linguistic and spiritual growth. Unlike general apps, its entire design— task types, difficulty levels, dashboard insights, and content guardrails—  is tailored specifically for BYU-Pathway and EnglishConnect learners who already have intermediate English and now need to refine fluency, accuracy, and confidence to succeed in higher education and the workplace. 

8. Why is the tool based on the Versant test instead of other standardized exams? Why Versant? 

The Versant English Test is the strongest benchmark for this tool because it measures spoken English in real time, focusing on fluency, pronunciation, automaticity, listening comprehension, and the ability to produce coherent speech under pressure. Unlike exams such as TOEFL, IELTS, or the Duolingo English Test, which rely heavily on writing, reading, long interviews, or extended academic responses, Versant evaluates the rapid, spontaneous communication skills that Pathway and BYU students regularly need in online classes, group projects, presentations, and professional settings. Its task types (repeat, read aloud, retell, short answer, extended response) mirror the kind of time-sensitive speaking demands students face in real life, making it an ideal model for advanced practice. 

Versant is also highly accessible and consistent, offering fast, objective scoring that aligns well with the global needs of EnglishConnect and Pathway learners. Because the Test Preparation Tool is designed to strengthen advanced speaking proficiency, its alignment with Versant allows learners to practice exactly the skills that matter most for real-world academic and professional communication. In short, Versant provides a practical, reliable, and focused foundation for building the type of fluent, confident speech that advanced learners need—not only for testing scenarios, but for everyday success in university and career settings. 

9. What technology or equipment do learners need to use the Versant Test Preparation Tool?  

For the first release, learners will only need a phone or computer and a stable internet connection to access the tool. A mobile rollout is being prioritized. A possible offline version may be explored in the future, but there is no timeline or guarantee that it will happen.  

10. Will learners receive a Versant-equivalent score or any kind of official certification through this tool?  

No. The tool will not provide a Versant-equivalent score nor any form of official certification. While some activities may simulate the structure, timing, and experience of the Versant test, the project team does not have access to the scoring algorithms used by Versant. Therefore, the platform may help learners prepare for and feel more comfortable with Versant-style tasks, but it will not produce a score that represents or replaces an official test result.  

11. Will it eventually include other skill areas like writing or listening comprehension? 

At this stage, the tool is focused on advanced speaking and listening performance aligned with Versant-style tasks, which emphasize real-time oral communication. However, the platform is being developed with future expansion in mind. Additional skill areas—such as writing, extended listening comprehension, and other assessment types—may be considered in later phases, depending on learner needs, resource availability, and program priorities. 

No decisions have been finalized, and these potential enhancements are not guaranteed, but the underlying technology and prompt library structure allow for possible growth beyond speaking-focused training over time.