Composition Revision

Peer Assessment in a Collaborative Learning EnvironmentBy David Woo

Peer Assessment Rationale

Students should become independent, capable learners

Students should become familiar with the requisite features of a particular text type

Students should become adept at using language to express cogently their thinking skills

Peer Assessment Methodology

Grading Rubric Focused Marking

Language features that were to be included in the composition

Other items that arose during the teacher’s initial editing of papers

Peer Assessment SampleIn an argumentative text, we would look for: General Items

Comma splices Singular/Countable Nouns Parts of Speech

Text-specific Features Thinking Skill - Refutation of opposing viewpoints

Language Feature - Contrasting adverbs and conjunctions (however; but; yet)

Thinking Skill -Organization of different arguments Language Feature – Signposting (firstly; my second

point; finally)

Peer Assessment Sample RubricDear _____________ , I 've read your work. I t is _____________ . I t deserves an A / a B / a C / a D / an E / an F (circle the grade). The thing I think you did the best was: __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ I wonder what you think about paragraph _____________ . Perhaps you could do something to make it better or more interesting to read. For example, you could: __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ I 've provided some analysis of your grammar items and content (tick or circle where appropriate).

Poor Pass Excellent

Singular/Countable Nouns

1 2 3 4 5

Parts of Speech 1 2 3 4 5

Paragraphing 1 2 3 4 5

Clear and not confusing

1 2 3 4 5

Furthermore, you were asked to use signposting and contrasting adverbs and conjunctions. We have just learned these grammar items and you were asked to highlight or underline them in your work. I have put ticks next to the perfect ones and have circled ones that are used incorrectly. I hope this helps you.

I spotted it (please tick)

Signposting I t was used correctly/ incorrectly _____ times.

Contrasting Adverbs and Conjunctions

I t was used correctly/ incorrectly _____ times.

Comma Splices I t was used correctly/ incorrectly _____ times.

Poor Handwriting I t was used correctly/ incorrectly _____ times.

Chinglish I t was used correctly/ incorrectly _____ times.

Keep writing. There's always room for improvement! All the best, _____________ (your name). _____________ (the date)

Cooperative Learning Rationale Students should be able to work with

team members of different performance level, gender, or ethnicity

Students should develop responsibility for their teams’ learning

Students should exceed their own past performance with cooperative effort

Cooperative Learning Methodology Student Teams-Achievement Divisions

(STAD) Students are assigned to four-member learning

teams. They assess team members’ compositions and

complete rubrics. Students rewrite their compositions. The teacher marks the students’ compositions. For each student, the teacher’s rubric and the

student’s rubric are compared. Marks are awarded based on the improvement in writing.

Extra marks can be awarded to teams which demonstrate the greatest improvement.

Cooperative Learning Methodology

Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) Students form four-member learning teams They assess team members’ compositions and

complete rubrics. Students rewrite their compositions. The teacher marks the students’ compositions. Each student who meets or exceeds the criteria

set on the teacher’s rubric will receive full marks.