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.