Before you begin
Follow this step-by-step walkthrough to set up and run your first assignment in TA39 using the supplied English example folder.
Download the English example folder
Download and extract the folder, then keep it open as you follow along.
This walkthrough uses TA39 in Standalone mode. If your school connects TA39 through an LMS such as Google Classroom, some submission steps may differ.
What you'll do
You'll learn how to:
- Import the provided rubric.
- Create a feedback template.
- Add the assignment prompt.
- Upload four sample student submissions.
- Run the analysis.
- Review and edit the resulting feedback.
By the end, your rubric and feedback template will be saved and ready to use again with an assignment you already teach.
When you use your own assignment
Choose something familiar—an assignment you have taught before, where the standards are clear and you already know where students commonly struggle.
A lower-stakes task is usually the best starting point: a formative essay, practice response or short analytical paragraph rather than a final examination.
Have three things ready:
- A rubric you already use.
- A clear sense of your feedback priorities, tone and style.
- Student work to run through the system.
The order matters. Start with the rubric and make sure it is clear enough to support consistent feedback. Then create a feedback template that reflects what you want students to notice and act on. Finally, run the assignment and review what TA39 drafts.
Your first run does not need to be perfect. Rubrics become clearer as you use them, and feedback templates improve as you review and adapt the results. TA39 provides a strong starting point; you decide what the student ultimately receives.
What to read or watch next
Once your first assignment is underway, Why Your Rubric Is the Foundation introduces the deeper professional-learning work behind reliable feedback.