<![CDATA[Students learning Arabic and English in Indonesian madrasahs may recognize vocabulary yet still struggle to retrieve it during oral interaction. This study developed and preliminarily evaluated the SpeakSmart Pocket Guide at Madrasah Aliyah Negeri Insan Cendekia Mandailing Natal, Indonesia. Thirty students aged 15–17 years participated in 16 classroom sessions; five of these students were purposively interviewed, together with one Arabic teacher and one English teacher. Needs analysis combined classroom observation, semi-structured interviews, and syllabus analysis. Two validators whose collective expertise covered Arabic and English language education and instructional media conducted formative expert review before implementation. Qualitative evidence identified restricted productive vocabulary access, dependence on scripts, reluctance to initiate speech, and limited communicative support. During implementation, students reported easier access to vocabulary and greater willingness to attempt pair and role-play interaction, while teachers perceived the guide as useful for structuring speaking activities. The findings support preliminary usability, accessibility, and classroom applicability rather than vocabulary or speaking gains. Because item-level validation scores were not retained in the supplied research record, no quantified validity claim is made.]]>
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