Implications for Practice:
Discuss ways in which you can incorporate findings from this study into your own professional practice.
I can develop a cooperative learning environment is in order to support thoughtful engagement in teaching. Using writing as an educational tool will help me complement content, interaction, cooperation and understanding. I can use good writing as good practice. I need to remember that snap decisions based on personalities lack analysis and evaluation and should not be made. In order to be a good educator I must teach the ability to teach someone that decisions should not be made without analysis and evaluation and continuing engagement of students is necessary for success.
Research Analysis -- Part 2
I. Behind the Scenes
Grade Level/Subject - 7th grade/Language Arts
Objective - to use peer review strategies in which students can share their creative work with peers for constructive feedback and then use this feedback to revise and improve their work.
Materials -- One page response to independent reading.
II. Setting the Stage
For the writing process, revision is as important as drafting, but students often feel they cannot let go of their original words. By keeping an audience in mind and participating in focused peer review interactions, students can offer productive feedback, accept constructive criticism, and master revision.
III. Dress Rehearsal
1. Introduce the concept of peer editing to students and define the term for example students work with someone their own age-usually someone in the same class-to help improve, revise, and edit a piece of student writing. Brainstorm the pros and cons of peer editing and record students' thoughts about the editing and revising process on chart paper.
2. Tell students that they will learn how to peer edit more effectively. Explain that they will look at some samples of student writing.
3. Explain that there are three steps to peer editing:
Step 1: Compliments
Step 2: Suggestions
Step 3: Corrections
4....
Pass out copies of the sample student work and divide the class into small groups of three to four students each. Ask students to fold a blank sheet of paper into thirds and label the first column compliments, the second column suggestions, and the third column corrections. Have students work with their group to peer edit the writing sample. They should follow the three steps starting with compliments, then suggestions, and finally corrections. When students are finished, bring the class back together and have the groups share their compliments, suggestions, and corrections.
IV. Rave Reviews
Review the peer edit group paper reviewing compliments, suggestions and corrections.
V. Encore
Have students practice their skills by peer editing a piece written by a classmate. Implement and instill the peer-editing technique by having students edit their classmates' written pieces on a regular basis.
VI. Reflection
Work with the class to develop a peer-editing checklist for use with future peer editing. It should include all three steps to peer editing.
Instructional Method
The instructional method in Part 1 was the peer review process and how it affected students. Incorporating this process into the curriculum as its own lesson is very important in order to advance the overall writing skills of the students.
Seeing how important the peer review process is from the research analysis helped me to really shape this lesson plan so that all students can benefit from it.
Diverse Learners
It is anticipated that diverse learners will consist of special needs students who may require extra help with this assignment. If the area of writing is something that they struggle in then having these students peer review others work may not have be the best strategy. As an alternative these students could be grouped together and given small group instruction and extra reteaching on the process.
The research from Part 1 help me to devise this lesson plan by showing just how important peer review is to the overall writing process and how everyone should be taught this process.
