Transitioning to Peer Feedback
In the first phase of my research, I found that I was focusing my attention on building small group community without a heavy focus on helping students support each other in the writing task. My goal was to provide a space where my students could feel that they could trust each other and build community within smaller groups so that they may later come to actively support each other in an academic way. While we had a strong community as a whole and students would generally work with any partner that I gave them to complete work, I did not know how encourage students to actively support each other rather than compete or put others down when they made mistakes.
Throughout the phase, I planned my lessons so that students would build relationships that allow them to support each other, so students know how to engage in smaller group dialogues about their writing. My work through Phase One revealed to me that students value being able to build peer relationships alongside peer academic work.
At this point in our class, the writing month of NaNoWriMo ended, and we moved into the revision process. This was the perfect time to begin peer work in which students could focus on providing critical feedback for revising and editing student writing.
Throughout the phase, I planned my lessons so that students would build relationships that allow them to support each other, so students know how to engage in smaller group dialogues about their writing. My work through Phase One revealed to me that students value being able to build peer relationships alongside peer academic work.
At this point in our class, the writing month of NaNoWriMo ended, and we moved into the revision process. This was the perfect time to begin peer work in which students could focus on providing critical feedback for revising and editing student writing.
Action Plan
This phase took place during the revision and editing portion of our novel-writing unit, within the last two weeks of school before Winter Break in December. Students were gathering excerpts from their novels to demonstrate ten different literary elements that they learned over the course of the semester. This included elements such as: direct and indirect characterization, a description of a setting that reveals a mood, and the use of meaningful dialogue. (The full list can be found below in the group revision form.) My action plan involves taking these excerpts and teaching students how to provide critical feedback to each other for improving their writing. As they have grown and found that they can build trust with each other enough to provide feedback, we now need to focus on exactly how to do that.
Cycle 1:
For my first cycle, I will to introduce my students to the feedback protocol that we will be using over the course of this phase. We will work as a class to look at a specific literary element that students as a whole are able to write. I will read an excerpt from a previously identified student (but anonymously). I will choose a literary element that students as a whole are demonstrating that they are able to use in their writing, and an excerpt that meets or nearly meets standards, but needs improvement. I want students to feel confident that they are able to discuss and improve upon the chosen excerpt because it is something they are already doing successfully.
The protocol we are using is as follows:
For offering feedback, I have adopted the “Praise/Question/Wish” method of providing feedback. I will make a chart that identifies and provides sentences frames for each. For example:
Praise: specific compliment about what the author did well
Question: something that was unclear, or you want to know more about
Wish: specific suggestions for improvements
Cycle 1:
For my first cycle, I will to introduce my students to the feedback protocol that we will be using over the course of this phase. We will work as a class to look at a specific literary element that students as a whole are able to write. I will read an excerpt from a previously identified student (but anonymously). I will choose a literary element that students as a whole are demonstrating that they are able to use in their writing, and an excerpt that meets or nearly meets standards, but needs improvement. I want students to feel confident that they are able to discuss and improve upon the chosen excerpt because it is something they are already doing successfully.
The protocol we are using is as follows:
- Read an excerpt of your choice out loud to your group (~3 minutes)
- If you have any specific questions about your excerpt, ask your group.
- Listen as your groupmates identify at least one piece of praise, one question, and one wish that they have for you as you continue to develop your writing. (~5 minutes)
- Work as a team to improve the excerpt, including grammar and flow. (~10 minutes)
- Work individually to make final improvements and additions based on peer feedback, adding as much detail as possible. Ask questions as needed. (~15 minutes)
For offering feedback, I have adopted the “Praise/Question/Wish” method of providing feedback. I will make a chart that identifies and provides sentences frames for each. For example:
Praise: specific compliment about what the author did well
- I really loved when you wrote... because...
- Your details and diction were excellent where you said... because...
- My favorite part of this excerpt was... because...
- I don't want you to change.... because...
Question: something that was unclear, or you want to know more about
- What does your character mean when he says "...?"
- Why did you describe the room by saying "...?"
- What do you want the reader to know when you write "...?"
Wish: specific suggestions for improvements
- I wish there was more (dialogue, action, scenery, descriptions, etc) in this scene because.....
- I wish I could hear more about..... because
- I wish that this detail was more specific because...
After I introduce students to the protocol, I will read the excerpt I have chosen to students. They, too, will be able to have it to view on their screen. I will then ask students to speak with their group-mates using the Praise/Question/Wish method. (These are the same small groups of three students were in for the duration of Phase One.)
In a Think/Pair/Share format, I plan to have them move from discussing these things within small groups, to discussing them as a whole class. Students will share their praise, questions, and wishes with the class, while I take note of them on the document. I will not be sharing my opinions, but I will ask questions where students needed to clarify or give a more detailed response using the text in order to extend their thinking.
After students have exhausted their notes/suggestions, I will prompt students to begin to make suggestions for improvement. I will start and model the process, identifying something that students said and brainstorming various ways I can do what students suggested. I will ask students to choose which direction we will go in, and continue from there. My goal is to have students actively making additions to the excerpt we’ve been looking at. When we are done, it should be a stronger example of the literary element that the excerpt is exemplifying.
When we are done, I plan to ask students to identify which excerpt of theirs they want to improve, and highlight it on their document. At this point, students will likely not be done gathering their excerpts, either. I plan to let them know that we will be doing this again in small groups beginning the next day, so they needed to finish collecting their excerpts. Students have a number of things they could be working on if they were indeed finished.
Cycle 2:
This cycle will be occuring over the course of three days, as students work within their groups to provide peer feedback and improvement on their writing. I want students to be able to give the feedback and then be able to make immediate changes and updates to the work. Thus, I plan for it to take longer for the groups to spend time working with each person, and I plan for it to take three days, with a little extra time for continued work.
I plan for these days to look like this:
I will remind students of the praise/question/wish protocol that we had looked at together as a class.
Cycle 3:
Depending on how Cycle 2 goes, my intention is to repeat it, making adjustments as needed. Each of the three members of each group have ten excerpts each, and with Cycle 2 they will only have been able to look at one. I believe (and have learned in Phase One) that structure and repetition is necessary to reinforce protocols and quality of activities. I do not think it is enough to have students only look at one excerpt each and not get a chance to go back and do it again.
In a Think/Pair/Share format, I plan to have them move from discussing these things within small groups, to discussing them as a whole class. Students will share their praise, questions, and wishes with the class, while I take note of them on the document. I will not be sharing my opinions, but I will ask questions where students needed to clarify or give a more detailed response using the text in order to extend their thinking.
After students have exhausted their notes/suggestions, I will prompt students to begin to make suggestions for improvement. I will start and model the process, identifying something that students said and brainstorming various ways I can do what students suggested. I will ask students to choose which direction we will go in, and continue from there. My goal is to have students actively making additions to the excerpt we’ve been looking at. When we are done, it should be a stronger example of the literary element that the excerpt is exemplifying.
When we are done, I plan to ask students to identify which excerpt of theirs they want to improve, and highlight it on their document. At this point, students will likely not be done gathering their excerpts, either. I plan to let them know that we will be doing this again in small groups beginning the next day, so they needed to finish collecting their excerpts. Students have a number of things they could be working on if they were indeed finished.
Cycle 2:
This cycle will be occuring over the course of three days, as students work within their groups to provide peer feedback and improvement on their writing. I want students to be able to give the feedback and then be able to make immediate changes and updates to the work. Thus, I plan for it to take longer for the groups to spend time working with each person, and I plan for it to take three days, with a little extra time for continued work.
I plan for these days to look like this:
- Reading (we read for the first ten minutes of every class period)
- Remind students of Praise/Question/Wish format
- Ask all students to choose a color (nobody in the same group should have the same color). The color with the most letters is the first to go. (I need a way to fairly choose who becomes the first to share their excerpt, though if group members volunteer to change it in some way, that's okay too.)
I will remind students of the praise/question/wish protocol that we had looked at together as a class.
Cycle 3:
Depending on how Cycle 2 goes, my intention is to repeat it, making adjustments as needed. Each of the three members of each group have ten excerpts each, and with Cycle 2 they will only have been able to look at one. I believe (and have learned in Phase One) that structure and repetition is necessary to reinforce protocols and quality of activities. I do not think it is enough to have students only look at one excerpt each and not get a chance to go back and do it again.
Assessment Plan
Much like Phase One, data collection will be in the following forms:
Teacher Observations
I plann to continue to keep a journal outlining my understanding and findings after daily activities. I will also get feedback from my cooperating teacher each day, to see what additions and adjustments can be made in the process.
What attitudes am I seeing my students exhibit as the cycles progress? Are there changes? Is there anything particular about an occurrence that day that can be built upon or modified in the next days? These are the same questions I wrote about in Phase One. In answering these questions, I will again reflect on my own method of delivery, and the ways in which I am presenting activities and information to students. I will record what was successful, unsuccessful, and/or improvements that might be made, taking into account the feedback given to me by students, my cooperating teacher, and other mentors.
In addition, much of the work to be done throughout these cycles was student-driven via small groups. I will note, in my journal, comments that students made about the process.
Feedback Forms
I will use Likert Scale-type questions to get objective, anonymous feedback from my students. I will include, as in the first phase, questions in which students are asked to explain their answers. Once again at the end of this phase, I will ask the following three questions:
I want to see how my students views of this had changed (or not changed) after the work we had done together. In addition, I want to provide students with questions that would
Focus Group Interviews
My focus group with consist of the same group of students that I interviewed in the last phase, as they have volunteered to continue meeting with me. These questions are almost entirely identical to the interview questions outlined in Phase One. Due to the nature of Phase One, the questions I had originally written were not the questions I needed at the time. They should prove more useful for this phase. As usual, I will allow the conversation to deviate where necessary or helpful.
What do you think about working in small groups to present and share feedback about your novels?
What do you believe is necessary to make group revision successful?
What have you gained from working with this group?
How can we make peer feedback more effective?
What could I, as your teacher, do better to help you with this process?
Do you trust the people you are working with to give you honest and valuable feedback? Why or why not?
How have your perceptions of groupwork changed and/or remained the same?
Teacher Observations
I plann to continue to keep a journal outlining my understanding and findings after daily activities. I will also get feedback from my cooperating teacher each day, to see what additions and adjustments can be made in the process.
What attitudes am I seeing my students exhibit as the cycles progress? Are there changes? Is there anything particular about an occurrence that day that can be built upon or modified in the next days? These are the same questions I wrote about in Phase One. In answering these questions, I will again reflect on my own method of delivery, and the ways in which I am presenting activities and information to students. I will record what was successful, unsuccessful, and/or improvements that might be made, taking into account the feedback given to me by students, my cooperating teacher, and other mentors.
In addition, much of the work to be done throughout these cycles was student-driven via small groups. I will note, in my journal, comments that students made about the process.
Feedback Forms
I will use Likert Scale-type questions to get objective, anonymous feedback from my students. I will include, as in the first phase, questions in which students are asked to explain their answers. Once again at the end of this phase, I will ask the following three questions:
- I am comfortable talking about my writing with my peers.
- I am comfortable reading my in-process writing aloud to my peers.
- I want my peers to give me feedback and advice about my writing.
I want to see how my students views of this had changed (or not changed) after the work we had done together. In addition, I want to provide students with questions that would
Focus Group Interviews
My focus group with consist of the same group of students that I interviewed in the last phase, as they have volunteered to continue meeting with me. These questions are almost entirely identical to the interview questions outlined in Phase One. Due to the nature of Phase One, the questions I had originally written were not the questions I needed at the time. They should prove more useful for this phase. As usual, I will allow the conversation to deviate where necessary or helpful.
What do you think about working in small groups to present and share feedback about your novels?
What do you believe is necessary to make group revision successful?
What have you gained from working with this group?
How can we make peer feedback more effective?
What could I, as your teacher, do better to help you with this process?
Do you trust the people you are working with to give you honest and valuable feedback? Why or why not?
How have your perceptions of groupwork changed and/or remained the same?
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