Student Writing Program WriQ Speeds Grading-Feedback Cycle

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 10/19/20

Education technology company Texthelp has released a new online program to help students improve their writing. WriQ automates and standardizes the assessment of student writing against national norms, evaluating each student's writing across multiple criteria. The idea is to help teachers assess writing proficiency more efficiently and give students more personalized feedback.

WriQ provides "positive nudge" notifications and digital achievement badges each time students write more. A student dashboard displays real-time feedback, allowing them to choose to refine their writing without waiting for teacher guidance.

The algorithm that powers the software, named WriQ Score, was developed using data from more than 85,000 teacher-graded documents.

The program was released in beta form in 2019. Now it's available as a free extension through Google Docs or as an add-in for Microsoft Word to teachers and students. A paid version offers additional features, such as a full assessment dashboard and comparisons of writing against national norms.

Student Writing Program WriQ Speeds Grading-Feedback Cycle

According to the company, WriQ can be used across grade levels, from fourth grade through graduate programs, and across core subjects. The paid version of the program for a "defined group" is $10 per student in K-12; a district-wide license is currently $1 per student.

One beta tester said the program cut down the editing and correction time for teachers. According to Sally Garza, teacher and technology director at Ohio's Lawrence School, said the use of the software "leaves me more time for differentiation and 1-to-1 instruction, and I have real data to share with students and parents. Having the data is more persuasive than just a subjective opinion from the teacher.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has called attention to a number of new and long-standing challenges around student motivation and learning loss, as well as the demanding workloads facing our teachers each and every day," said Martin McKay, Texthelp's founder and CEO, in a press release. "WriQ, has been designed with those needs in mind. Not only does it standardize writing assessment in order to give teachers more time to focus on student instruction and support, but it is also designed to motivate and engage students in writing."

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • a cloud, an AI chip, and a padlock interconnected by circuit-like lines

    CrowdStrike Report: Attackers Increasingly Targeting Cloud, AI Systems

    According to the 2025 Threat Hunting Report from CrowdStrike, adversaries are not just using AI to supercharge attacks — they are actively targeting the AI systems organizations deploy in production. Combined with a surge in cloud exploitation, this shift marks a significant change in the threat landscape for enterprises.

  • student reading a book with a brain, a protective hand, a computer monitor showing education icons, gears, and leaves

    4 Steps to Responsible AI Implementation in Education

    Researchers at the University of Kansas Center for Innovation, Design & Digital Learning (CIDDL) have published a new framework for the responsible implementation of artificial intelligence at all levels of education, from preschool through higher education.

  • figures sitting around a round table, discussing over an open book, papers, and glasses

    Alliance for Learning Innovation, Digital Promise Form National Education R&D Advisory Committee

    The Alliance for Learning Innovation (ALI) and Digital Promise are bringing together a coalition of education leaders to help develop a national education research and development agenda and foster innovation in schools and districts across the country.

  • red brick school building with a large yellow "AI" sign above its main entrance

    New National Academy for AI Instruction to Provide Free AI Training for Educators

    In an effort to "transform how artificial intelligence is taught and integrated into classrooms across the United States," the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), in partnership with Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic, and the United Federation of Teachers, is launching the National Academy for AI Instruction, a $23 million initiative that will provide access to free AI training and curriculum for all AFT members, beginning with K-12 educators.