Transcript Peer Editing

Peer Editing
Debbie Sponaugle
6th Grade Language Arts
South Davie Middle School
Mocksville, NC
Background
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I have been teaching Language Arts for 17
years.
I have attended many training sessions on
teaching the writing process.
Most methods are a form of “Writer’s
Workshop.”
One of the components of this method of
teaching writing includes the students reading
and editing each other’s papers as a way to
help improve writing.
What Does Research Say?
Advantages of peer editing include:
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Students engage in each other’s writing more than
textbooks (Kemp, 2003).
Students are concerned with audience and
audience response when they know other
students will read their work (Kemp,2003).
The act of discovering critical factors in a piece of
writing and explaining them to the writer is the
strongest way to encourage better writing (Kemp,
2003).
Research cont….
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“Peer-editing will give students positive and
helpful feedback from their classmates and
offer multiple perspectives on their work”
(Maifair, 1999).
“Peer-editing can force students to complete
written assignments earlier and even lighten
the workload for overworked English
teachers” (Gregory, 1994).
Is this too good to be true?
Research Question
Does peer editing improve student
writing in a sixth grade class
room?
Participants
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Sixth grade students
Two classes (one high achieving)
Rural, middle class
10 students chosen at random
Intervention/Instruction
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I made 3 personal narrative writing
assignments:
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1st Essay – teacher edited rough draft
2nd Essay- peer edited rough draft with no
instruction
3rd essay- peer edited with teacher modeling and
written feedback sheet
Data Collection
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3 assignments
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Rough draft and final copy for each
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Anecdotal notes
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Survey results
Data Analysis
Student
Rough Draft
Final Copy
Rough Draft
Final Copy
Rough Draft
Final Copy
David
106
128
142
156
116
132
Cameron
213
164
245
318
189
231
Jeremy
291
280
376
425
350
474
Erika
183
183
178
196
393
393
Denise
199
199
100
132
258
265
Whittney
244
246
435
435
324
324
Landon
165
175
239
251
298
341
Myles
68
102
234
314
125
186
Ashley
48
140
187
260
296
321
Caroline
194
194
220
224
192
261
Average
171.1
181.1
235.6
271.1
254.1
292.8
Results
Average Total Words
300
250
200
Rough Drafts
150
Final Copy
100
50
0
1
2
3
Results
Average Grammar Errors
8
7
6
5
Rough Draf t
4
Final Copy
3
2
1
0
1
2
3
More Results
Average Spelling Errors
8
7
6
5
Rough Draf t
4
Final Copy
3
2
1
0
1
2
3
Results
Number of Changes from Rough Draft to Final
25
20
15
Series1
10
5
0
Essay 1
Essay 2
Essay 3
Survey Results
Did you enjoy reading other students’
work? (92% yes)
Did the peer editing in class help you? (98%)
Did you use the suggestions from your peer editor
when you revised your paper? (94% yes)
Do you think that peer editing makes you a better
writer? (88% yes) How? (76% didn’t know)
Discussion
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Teacher editing has little impact on the revision
process.
Peer editing has little impact on the revision process.
Peer editing can help in identifying and correcting
errors in spelling and grammar.
Students enjoy reading each other’s work and can
learn from the experience.
Peer groups in writing instruction helps build the
classroom community as students share personal
thoughts and feelings.
References
Atwell, Nancie. (1998).In the Middle. Portsmouth, NH : Boynton/Cook.
Gregory, Cynde. (1994) Editing that Engages. Instructor, 104,40. Retrieved
September 19, 2005 from NCLIVE Full Text Database.
Kemp, Fred. (2003) The Importance of Peer Interactivity in Writing
Instruction. Wadsworth Insite for Writing and Research. Retrieved
September 19, 2005 from EBSCO Host Database.
Maifair. Linda.(1999). (Practically) Painless Peer Editing. InstructorIntermediate, 108, 8-10. Retrieved September 12, 2005 from EBSCO Host
Database.
No Author.(2004) Writing in the Middle Grades. English Teacher, 123, 45-49.
Retrieved September 12, 2005 from Education Full Text Database.