Abstract
Peer feedback is a key to the quality of group work in foreign language writing classrooms. In order to better understand the use of peer feedback in writing foreign language (English) essays, a fifteen-week study was conducted by guided peer feedback in group work. 60 non-English-majored undergraduates in TG were randomly divided into 15 groups and one group member from every group was chosen as the leader of the group. This study chose three different tools – a checklist, a qualitative feedback sheet and a grading sheet, to guide peer feedback. Two English writing applied tests and an interview were utilized in this study to investigate the students’ views and attitude toward the writing teaching method of guided peer feedback. We found: (1) the method of guided peer feedback in group work could improve non-English-majored undergraduate students’ writing ability; (2) there were significant differences between males in CG and TG, and females in CG and TG; 3) non-English-majored undergraduate students in TG held the positive response for the combined writing instruction.
Highlights
Writing ability is important for undergraduate students in writing essays in examinations (College English Test 4 or 6) and the academic essays in their fields they majored
Rollinson (2005) explains, “In recent years, the use of peer feedback in ESL writing classrooms has been generally supported in the literature as a potentially valuable aid for its social, cognitive, affective, and methodological benefits” (p. 23).The present work focuses on the means of guidance in initiating effective peer feedback in group work
One group of 60 non-English-majored undergraduates was regarded as the Control Group (CG) with the traditional College English writing method and other 60 non-English-majored undergraduates were as Treatment Group (TG) with the method of guided peer feedback in group work
Summary
Writing ability is important for undergraduate students in writing essays in examinations (College English Test 4 or 6) and the academic essays in their fields they majored. Chinese non-English-majored undergraduate students’ ability in writing English essays is not good. How to improve Chinese non-English-majored undergraduate students’ ability in writing English essays is an important task for English teachers or English educators in China. In the framework of the task-based language learning, group work is regarded as a chief organizational form of learning (Ellis, 1994), because it enhance interaction and negotiation of meaning which can lead to language acquisition. The quality of group work varies widely in practice, and research into the means of group work enhancement is required urgently. Peer feedback is a key to the interaction and language learning in groups. 23).The present work focuses on the means of guidance in initiating effective peer feedback in group work Peer feedback is a key to the interaction and language learning in groups. Rollinson (2005) explains, “In recent years, the use of peer feedback in ESL writing classrooms has been generally supported in the literature as a potentially valuable aid for its social, cognitive, affective, and methodological benefits” (p. 23).The present work focuses on the means of guidance in initiating effective peer feedback in group work
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