A study investigated the influence of goal setting and progress feedback on self-efficacy and writing achievement among gifted children. Thirty-three fourth graders who previously had been identified as academically gifted in language arts received writing strategy instruction over 20 sessions and were given a goal of learning to use the strategy or of writing paragraphs. Half of the strategy goal children periodically received feedback on their progress in strategy learning. Results showed that the strategy goal with progress feedback exerted the greatest impact on achievement and motivated students to apply the strategy, which increases skills and transfer. The strategy goal without progress feedback provided some benefits compared with the paragraph goal. Results indicate that providing gifted students with a goal of learning a writing strategy and giving them feedback on their progress raises achievement outcomes. (One table of data is included; 40 references are attached.) (Author/SR)