Strategy-based Peer Assistance in EFL Writing: An Alternative to Traditional Peer Correction

Abstract

Peer correction is one of the ways whereby feedback is provided to language learners, especially in foreign language learning situations where meaning-focused instruction is aided by form-focused activities to accelerate the learning process. However, studies on peer correction show that the problems of the practice are more than its advantages. Based on observation of process-oriented EFL writing classes at the university level, we propose strategy-based peer assistance (SPA) as an alternative to traditional peer correction (TPC). SPA enjoys the benefits of TPC and solves most of the problems inherent in it. SPA fosters cooperative and alleviates the teacher’s task of correcting students’ work. Because it is based on the natural communication strategy of appeal for assistance it is more learner-centered and safeguards against the social, psychological, organization and time constraint problems from which TPC suffers. Hence, TPC should be abandoned in favor of SPA.