WRITING ACTIVITY : PEER-CORRECTION

Source: https://www.montealtoinenglish.es/home/2nd-grade-students-working-on-peer-correction

       Numerous studies concluded that achieving the writing class objective of preparing students to write academically was quite tricky. According to Hinkel (2004:4), many teachers who employed various writing instruction strategies encountered numerous obstacles and deficiencies. The assumption was that the students’ writing “required attainment of sufficient and linguistic proficiency” required two things. There are several techniques professors can employ to enhance their students’ writing skills. Peer correction is one of the techniques. This technique applies to students of all skill levels. In addition, according to Zemach and Rumisek (2005:21), peer correction is the activity that modifies students’ work by requiring them to read and comment on the writing of their classmates. After completing the writing phase, they exchange their work with a classmate. Students can directly comment on their classmates’ writing and offer suggestions for improvement.

           There are several benefits associated with peer correction in the classroom. That allowing students to read their peers’ writings can improve their self-confidence, perspective, and critical thinking skills. In addition, they receive more feedback on their writing than from the lecturer alone, including feedback from more diverse readers with multiple perspectives and from non-expert readers if their paragraph is unclear regarding language and ideas. This activity can finally foster a sense of classroom community. According to Oshima and Hogue (2007: 18-19), they refer to this technique as peer editing, in which a classmate reads a paragraph and helps their classmates improve the content and organization of their writing by reading, asking questions, and providing feedback. Since writing is a process that begins with incompleteness, it is believed that this technique is one way to improve incompleteness.

           Among the advantages of peer-correction techniques, some experts assert that students gain opportunities to practice revising more and develop an editing habit due to peer-correction (Harmer, 2004: 106). It is advantageous when students can read and revise more paragraphs and write. They can acquire the impression of a good paragraph by subconsciously comparing two paragraphs. Peer correction allows students to collaborate (Harmer, 2004, p. 115). When revising and correcting a classmate’s paragraph, they will discuss the issues and errors to work collaboratively on every paragraph. Hammer also stated that applying peer correction is advantageous for students because it is less rigid than lecturer correction (Harmer, 2004: 116). In addition, peer-correction techniques permit students to assist one.

           Then, punctuation, spelling, grammar, a well-structured sentence, a good organization of the introduction, body, and conclusion, and adherence to the title are examples of these elements. The students evaluate their classmates’ work by writing directly on their papers. It is one way that Harmer (2004:113) suggests. Furthermore, the role of the lecturer at this stage is to assist the students and serve as a resource when they require information or direction (Harmer, 2004: 109).

            In conclusion, the goal of a writing class is to help students become competent academic writers, but numerous studies have found that this is much easier said than done. Professors can use a variety of strategies to help their students become better writers. One such strategy that works with learners of all levels is peer correction. Students’ work is revised through peer correction, in which they review the drafts of their peers and offer constructive feedback. As soon as they finish writing, they should trade papers with a fellow student. Undergraduates have the unique opportunity to provide constructive feedback on their peers’ writing in real time.

 

References:

Harmer, Jeremy. 2004. How to Teach Writing. Edinburg: Longman

Hinkel, Eli. (2004). Teaching Academic ESL. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc

Hyland, Ken. (2003). Second Language writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Oshima, Alice and Hogue, Ann. (1998). Writing Academic English. New York: Longman

Zemach. Dorothy and Rumisek, Lisa A. (2005). Academic Writing: From Paragraph to Essay. Edumond: MacMilan