You might have heard of Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000-hour rule. If you haven’t, the idea is simple: To master any field, you need to practice for 10,000 hours. 

Gladwell based his rule on research by psychologist Anders Ericsson, but he left out a crucial part. Simply put, Ericsson’s formula for mastery is 10,000 hours of focused practice plus good coaching. 

How does this apply to teaching writing? Your students will improve with consistent, frequent practice. But they’ll improve even more with your guidance, including instruction and feedback. 

Now, don’t freak out—I’m not saying you need to give feedback on every little thing they write. That would annoy/overwhelm your students (imagine a tennis coach giving feedback after every swing. Dude, too much!) and lead to teacher burnout.

I’m also not suggesting you assign more long essays. Instead, try incorporating short writing tasks early in the semester. Most writing issues will appear in a short assignment just as clearly as in a long one.  

Here’s why a short writing task early in the semester can be beneficial: 

• Practice makes progress. Students get the practice they need to improve as writers. 
• You can get to know your students as humans—and as writers when you diagnose some of their strengths and writing issues.
• You can give efficient feedback. It’s an opportunity to provide good coaching quickly without overloading yourself. 

Some Possible Assignments

Response to Syllabus: Ask students to write about 250 words on their worries, wonderings, and hopes related to the class. Encourage them to be informal—no need for an intro, conclusion, or citations. Just aim for clarity and honesty. 

Your Life on a Postcard: See the assignment description here.

Your turn. What short writing task do you assign early in the semester? Share one in the comments below—and feel free to borrow or adapt any of the assignments you see here. Let’s share and learn from each other, just like we want our students to do.