writers' workshop for meaningful peer review

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Writers Workshop for meaningful peer reviewHeather Swenddal Head of DepartmentEnglish for University Centre of English Language, RMIT University

TESOL Talks #5November 2015RMIT University

Hi everyone Im Heather Swenddal. Im the head of the English for University Department at RMIT University in Vietnam. This is a recording of a Pecha Kucha style mini-presentation I gave at TESOL Talks 5 in November. TESOL Talks is a teacher-led professional development organization in Vietnama collaboration between multiple English language teaching organizations. If youd like to know more about TESO Talks, please visit facebook.com/groups/TESOL Talks.

So my topic here is on peer reviewa term that for me encapsulates the whole process of students reading each others texts and giving feedback on them. What Im going to share with you could be used for students in different contexts and levels. Ive done it most with advanced-level academic writing students like Linh here.1

All of these people could provide some feedback! RMIT University1/19/16RMIT International University Vietnam2Linh has a first draft!

Who could she ask for feedback?

Studious ClassmateLess StudiousClassmateEnglishTeacherBoyfriend (English User)Mom (English User)

So lets set the stage for this with a common scenario. A student is going through the process of writing an essay, and shes produced her first draft! As she starts to revise it, she wants some feedback. Who can she ask?

Many students tend to see the teacher as the only legitimate source of feedback. But my point today is that in language learning, thats not true at all. ANY English speaker could give Linh some kind of feedback. All of these people are potential resources for her.2

RMIT University1/19/16RMIT International University Vietnam3

Studious ClassmateLess StudiousClassmateEnglishTeacherBoyfriend (English User)Mom (English User)PEDAGOGICAL FEEDBACK

CONTEXT-SPECIFICFEEDBACK

READERFEEDBACK

Her teacher can obviously provide her with pedagogical feedback about her progress and her learning. And thats crucial.

But other kinds of feedback are also important.

Her classmates, for example, can comment on the context in which she is writing. They may also understand the assignments and the texts that the class is working with.

And any English speaker can provide her with reader feedback.

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I dont understand this partREADER FEEDBACK:

Helps writers notice the gap (Swain, 1995) between what they meant to communicate and what a reader understood.

Oh

This concept of reader feedback is just as it sounds: a writer has someone read their paper, and this person shares feedback on their experience of reading it.

They say things like I dont understand this part. And this illuminates for the writer the gap between what they meant to communicate and what actually came through. Noticing this gap is an important part of language learning, and its crucial for writer development, as well. 4


Studious ClassmateLess StudiousClassmate

EnglishTeacherBoyfriend (English User)Mom (English User)PEDAGOGICAL FEEDBACK


READERFEEDBACK

So as I said, ANY English speaker can provide reader feedback.

What I want to focus on today is the reader feedback that a writers classroom peers can provide. This hits a kind of sweet spot, because while anyone COULD give reader feedback, peers can also give context-specific peer feedback: theyre a bit closer to the assignments and the discourse of the classroom than a general reader can be.

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Peer Reviewcheckingfixing errorseditingproofingasking questionsworkshoppingrespondingexperiencing

So the way we do this is through peer reviewthe process of analyzing each others work and providing feedback.

You may recognize some of these words here. These are just a few of the terms associated with peer review. (READ)6


Peer Reviewcheckingfixing errorseditingproofingasking questionsworkshoppingrespondingexperiencingTEACHER READER

Youll notice that words on the left tend to be more on the pedagogical side. Theres an assumption here that someone whos doing editing or checking will have some advanced knowledge, so these kinds of peer review position the reviewer more as a teacher.

The words on the right are more in line with a reader identity. And this is what I like about them. While theres definitely a place for these things, meaning-focused peer review is something that students can engage in even regardless of their expertise. Theyre simply sharing their experience as readers. 7


WRITERS WORKSHOP

Students read each others texts and share their experiences as readers.

Elementary students discussing their writing

The activity framework that I like to use for peer review is Writers Workshop. This is a popular activity in K-12 education: its done in class as dedicated time for reading and commenting on each others work.

In this activity, this work is taken seriously. Students identities and rights as authors are respected, and reviewers learn how to question and comment in constructive, productive ways. 8

RMIT University1/19/16RMIT International University Vietnam9FACILITATING WRITERS WORKSHOP

STEP 1: Lay the foundation and build capacity.

So today Im going to share with you some of the ways that I go about this process with students. I have three suggested steps for you: key things that I think are important for doing this in English-language classes with adult students.

The first is to lay the foundation for the work and build capacity with the student population for engaging in these kinds of discussions. 9


Writers Workshop works best in a supportive classroom community where mutual respect and curiosity are valued.

Engaging in talk around text builds capacity for Writers Workshop.

Laying the foundationfor Writers Workshop

For me, whats critical for this is a strong classroom community. You want a community of practice where students support each other, where theres a spirit of mutual respect and curiositya safe space for discussion. So in the early days of a class, youll need lots of community-building activies to set this tone.

And to help students get comfortable talking about their colleagues texts, its good to have them develop skills for exploring texts in general. Later today Joel is going to talk about how you can engage students in this kind of workso stay tuned!10


STEP 2: Educate students about what they need to do.


So Step 1 is to build this foundation and lay the groundwork for this kind of activity.

Then, usually a few weeks into a course, after students have gotten started on their first writing assignments, and theyre ready to get some feedback on their early drafts. This is where Id do Writers Workshop, and Id start by educating studentsbeing really clear on the philosophy and practices of this activity. 11

RMIT University1/19/16RMIT International University Vietnam12Writers WorkshopDEFINITION: An informal meeting in which writers share the compositions they are working on and get feedback from their colleagues.

Its time for

SLIDES TO USE WITH STUDENTS SETUP

So today Im going to share some slides that I use when I do Writers Workshop with students. Heres a title slide that I throw up every time. That definition is there every time, reminding them that this is a meeting, that its informal, and that it involves sharing feedback on compositions in progress. working onlook at that. Underscoring that idea that revising is crucial and normal. 12

What we do in Writers WorkshopRead each others papers. Talk about our experiences reading it, and share feedback like:

I really liked this part.

I didnt understand what you meant here.

RMIT University1/19/16RMIT International University Vietnam13Use critical thinking to help the writer notice problems:

Im not sure if you have enough evidence here.

I see what youre saying, but I wonder

SLIDES TO USE WITH STUDENTS SETUP

Ill pull up slides like this at the beginning to orient students to this. Well talk about what we do, well show examples of the kinds of things we say. This is important because it pushes them beyond simplistic evaluation. We dont want them to just say its goodits perfect. we want them to share their experience as readers. Notice the first personI, I I I. Thats intentional. Its their personal experience.13

14 Read your partners essay.

Put a check () next to parts that you think are clear for the reader.

Put a question mark (?) next to parts that you dont understand.

Think about how to make this essay more effective. Make notes.

SLIDES TO USE WITH STUDENTS IDEAS FEEDBACKREAD

READ

And this slide Ill use as students are engaged in the review task. Notice that simple task they have to do: putting a check by things that are clear, a question mark by things that are not, and making some notes for the reader. For first drafts, I really steer them towards meaning, away from grammar. These are paragraph-level questionsidea questions. Focusing on the big picture of understanding the writers meaning. 14

Talk to the writer about your experience as a reader. Share feedback likeI felt like this part was [easy/fun/difficult] to read.

I [understood/didnt understand] what you meant here.

I [see/dont see] how these parts fit together.

I [agreed/disagreed] with this idea.


SLIDES TO USE WITH STUDENTS IDEAS FEEDBACK

SHARE

Im a big believer in giving students examples of the kinds of things they could sayagain, to ensure that they dont just declare things good. So Ill put up text like this while theyre preparing to talk and talking, and Ill notice studnets looking at the board when they get stuck. Seeing the frame on the board empowers them to say itthey feel more confident making their point when the examples are polite but also clear.

Sometimes in this Ill see students disagreeing, and this is a great moment for me to go look over their shoulder and see the issue. Often its something that I would have pointed out myself, and students go home and revise based on this. So by doing this in class, Im ensuring students get that feedback, and Im also ensuring that by the time it gets to me on the second or third draft, its ready for more pedagogical feedbackwhich I as a teacher can provide. 15

16 Read your partners paper.Underline any words or sentences that you think might have a grammar or vocabulary problem.

SLIDES TO USE WITH STUDENTS LANGUAGE FEEDBACK

READ

Thats what I mean when I talk about meaning-based or meaningful peer review. But I appreciate that sometimes students really want to focus on grammar during this activity. So the way I address this is by relegating this to the second draft. Once those general ideas are ironed out, we can start looking at the sentence level. And I honor students identity as peers by giving them a task that doesnt ask them to go beyond this. I have them simply underline things that they think MIGHT have a problem. Some of my slides say underline things that seem weird. And they do.

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Share your concerns with the writer. Say things like

RMIT University1/19/16RMIT International University Vietnam17I think there might be a problem with this sentence.

Im not sure if this is the best word for your idea.

I think there is a problem with the subject/verb/etc. here.

Not sure what to do? Ask Heather!

SLIDES TO USE WITH STUDENTS LANGUAGE FEEDBACK

SHARE

Then I have them share what they underlined, and I give them some language for doing so.

The students negotiate, and often find that its simply a mistake that the writer has made. Its quickly resolved, and thats one less thing for me as a teacher to address when I get the eventual draft.

But students arent teacher, and whats interesting is that often through this process, we discover that the reader was mistaken about some grammar or vocabulary point. Bu thats okay. Because weve framed it with such hedging that it opens it up for discussion. This is where I walk around and resolve disagreements, and someone always learns somethingsometimes its the writer who made an error, and sometimes its the reader who was wrong. In the language learning classroom, either one of these learning moments is really valuable. 17




STEP 2: Educate students about what they need to do.

STEP 3: Recognize patterns of need; target instruction.

So thats my third pointto recognize patterns of need and target instruction to meet them. This process of peer review is one of discovery for all involved, including the teacher. Youre able to see where your students are stretching, and what their precise needs are. By listening and intervening, you can really provide that just-in-time learning, targeting the precise needs of your particular students.19


Studious ClassmateLess StudiousClassmateEnglishTeacherBoyfriend (English User)Mom (English User)PEDAGOGICAL FEEDBACK


READERFEEDBACK

By using Writers Workshopor really any kind of peer review, you can maximize your effect as a teacher.

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RMIT University1/19/16RMIT International University Vietnam21References

Ferris, D. & Hedgcock, J. (2005). Teaching ESL composition: Purpose, Process and Practice. NY: Routledge.

Swain, M. and Lapkin, S. (1995). Problems in output and the cognitive processes they generate: A step towards second language learning. Applied Linguistics 16: 371-391

Will you try Writers Workshop?What questions do you have about it?

THANK YOU! Enjoy the morning tea!

So this is Writers Workshop in a nutshell. Theres much more to say about it of course, but hopefully this quick overview has whet your appetite for more. What I hope more than anything is that Ive convinced you to engage students in peer review and encourage them to see each other as legitimate, valuable sources of this support.

So now Id like to ask you to take a moment and think about all of this, and share with your colleagues near you what you think. Ill be able to take one or two questions, but first: a moment to chat. Okay21

writers' workshop for meaningful peer review

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