At VerbMaster, we’re constantly inspired by educators who go beyond the worksheet to truly ignite learning. That’s why when Spanish teacher Angie Collier from Broken Arrow Freshman Academy (BAFA) in Oklahoma reached out with results from her classroom, we knew this was a story worth sharing.
This case study unfolds in two parts:
Angie’s students started using VerbMaster in January 2025. Fast-forward a few months, and it was time for a familiar assessment: the 3A Test on preterite conjugation. Perfect opportunity to see what had changed.
She compared scores from two cohorts:
The results were clear. Across the board, scores improved—especially in the section that tested applied conjugation. Students had to complete a dialogue using irregular preterite forms, the kind that usually trip up even high performers.
But here’s the twist…
Last year’s students had open-note access during the test. This year’s students didn’t.
That’s right. In 2024, students had their notes, their charts, and all the answers staring them right in their little freshmen faces. In 2025, no such luck. Angie had retired the open-notes policy she’d implemented during the chaos of COVID—pulling off the Band-Aid and watching the collective student panic unfold.
Cue the groans. The protests. Possibly a petition.
And yet... they did better.
With no notes.
Let that sink in.
This isn’t just a fun anecdote—it’s a clear example of what happens when mastery takes the place of cramming. It might seem counterintuitive at first, but VerbMaster was built around this exact hypothesis:
We don’t pretend this is a peer-reviewed study just yet. But the gains we’re seeing at Broken Arrow line up with decades of research on how people actually learn best.
After sharing our initial results from Broken Arrow Freshman Academy (BAFA), we followed up with Spanish teacher Angie Collier to hear how the rest of the year went. Her verdict?
“This was a big win.”
Here’s what stood out from our conversation—and why it matters.
Like many educators, Angie Collier watched student motivation plummet in the wake of COVID.
It wasn’t just her classroom. A report from the National Center for Education Statistics found that 84% of public schools reported increases in behavioral issues and declining student engagement post-pandemic (NCES, 2022).
Angie’s students were no exception—until this year.
With VerbMaster integrated into the curriculum, the shift was dramatic. Out of 107 students, 92 completed all 20 VerbMaster assignments. That’s an 86% completion rate—something Angie described as “unheard of just a year ago.”
VerbMaster didn’t just reinforce grammar. It rebuilt accountability, restored motivation, and helped students re-engage with learning.
One of the most powerful outcomes Angie observed was a visible transformation in student confidence—and it wasn’t just about test scores.
Students who had once struggled were now feeling equipped and motivated to continue their Spanish studies. Many even chose to move on to Spanish 3, driven by a genuine sense of progress.
That confidence didn’t come from cramming. It came from internalization—what we call the Repertoire Effect. Students had absorbed the verbs and their meanings deeply enough to recall and apply them when needed.
With VerbMaster’s Mastery Engine, Spaced Repetition, and AI-powered Sentence Bot, they weren’t just completing exercises—they were building durable retention and a practical command of the language. As a result, students started reviewing lessons ahead of time, participating more confidently, and using Spanish naturally in class discussions.
What started as a supplement turned into a core part of the learning journey. VerbMaster didn’t just boost test scores—it helped rewire how students approached language learning. The apathy shifted. The confidence grew. And for many, Spanish became something they wanted to pursue—not just survive.
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