A few weeks before an exam, studying smarter matters more than studying longer. The right tool can make that difference.

Over the last few months, I have been teaching my senior students how to use a brilliant AI tool, and I think it deserves a proper introduction now for everyone: NotebookLM by Google.

What is NotebookLM?

NotebookLM is a free AI-powered study tool made by Google. Think of it as a very smart notebook that reads study materials and helps work with them — generating quizzes, answering questions, and summarising content based entirely on what has been uploaded.

Unlike ChatGPT or other general AI tools, NotebookLM does not use the general internet. It only works with the sources it has been given. That means every answer it produces is drawn from the actual study materials uploaded — notes, past papers, vocabulary lists, materials provided by a teacher — not random information from the web.

How Could It Help when Studying for German HSC or German IB?

There are many practical ways NotebookLM can support German studies — and any other school subject too. Below are just a few ideas. Since every student’s learning habits and needs vary, there is plenty more to discover — independently or together in our sessions.

For all HSC German Students

• Upload written expression scaffolds and practise structure. Add teacher’s notes, sample texts, or writing guides, then ask NotebookLM to quiz on the key phrases, connectors, or text structure conventions.
• Turn vocabulary lists into flashcards. Paste in vocab lists or a list of key terms and NotebookLM can generate flashcards with explanations automatically.
• Create practice questions from past papers. Upload past HSC German papers and ask NotebookLM to generate similar comprehension questions or prompts to recall themes and vocabulary.

For HSC German Extension Students

• Upload all materials about the prescribed texts, abstracts, and the film Amelie rennt!. Add teacher’s notes, sample texts, writing guides, and past paper marking criteria to a notebook. Ask NotebookLM to create a study report as well as example prompts and questions on the topics required.
• Use the Audio Overview to consolidate across texts. Extension students are working across multiple prescribed texts, abstracts, and the film — a lot of material to hold together. The Audio Overview generates a narrated summary that draws connections across all uploaded sources, useful for consolidating the big picture between study sessions.

For all IB German B Students

• Organise the five IB themes. Create a separate notebook for each theme (Identities, Experiences, Human Ingenuity, Social Organisation, Sharing the Planet) and upload all relevant texts, notes, and vocab. Ask NotebookLM to summarise key ideas or quiz across them.
• Prepare for the Individual Oral. Upload visual stimulus images, sample discussions, and Redemittel (set phrases) — then ask NotebookLM to generate follow-up questions similar to what an examiner might ask.
• Revise Text Types for Paper 1. Add examples of letters, blog posts, reports, speeches, and articles. Ask NotebookLM what the key structural features are for each one, or create a quiz on register and format conventions.
• Generate an Audio Overview. NotebookLM can turn uploaded notes into a podcast-style audio summary — perfect for students who learn better by listening, or want to revise on the go.

For IB German B HL Students

• Prepare for the text analysis part of the exam. Upload all relevant information about the literature pieces studied in class. Add notes and materials provided by the teacher as well as any available marking criteria. Ask NotebookLM to create a study report, analyse the topics, and generate study cards for learning practice. The video and audio overview tools are a great option too for auditory learners who prefer a more verbal studying approach.
• Prepare for the Individual Oral Exam. Upload past papers and all teacher-provided notes, then ask NotebookLM to generate a list of example oral exam questions — based on the uploaded materials, not randomly sourced from the internet. Create study cards to practise asking and answering these questions.

Why This Is So Beneficial Right Now

With exams weeks away, the biggest risk is passive studying — re-reading notes and feeling like something productive is happening. Tools like NotebookLM push toward active recall: being tested, retrieving information, making connections. That is what actually prepares a student for an exam.

NotebookLM makes study more visible and more structured. Notebooks can be built, quizzes run, summaries generated — all tangible evidence of purposeful preparation rather than time passively spent with a book open.

And because it works only with the specific materials uploaded — curriculum, past papers, class notes and teacher materials — it stays focused on what actually and truly matters for the exam.

Is NotebookLM a Free Tool?

Yes — the core version of NotebookLM is completely free to use. A Google account is all that is needed to get started. There is a paid Plus tier with extra features, but the free version has everything required for exam preparation.

One More Thing

NotebookLM is a tool — and like all tools, it works best with a clear purpose. Uploading notes and clicking around will not achieve much on its own. But approaching it with a specific question, a concrete goal, or a known gap to fill makes it genuinely useful very quickly.

A good starting point is ten minutes with one document already in use — upload it, ask a question about it, and go from there. Most students pick it up straight away.

To get started, head to notebooklm.google.com and start a notebook with one document already in use.

Want to Get Ahead Before the Exam?

There is still time to prepare well — and the right support makes all the difference. I work with HSC and IB German students one-on-one, and yes, that includes setting up NotebookLM together and making it work for exactly what is needed. I support students to use the time left in the most efficient and useful way.

Nadia teaches IB German B SL and HL, IB German B Ab Initio, HSC German, VCE German, Goethe exam preparation, and adult conversational German online. She is based in Australia and works with students nationally and internationally.