"Peer Revison... for who?"

Unlike the Article, "Recopying for Revision" I feel strongly about Peer Revision. Like Rhonda I did not experience peer revision until I was an adult going to teacher's conferences and participating in those 'fun' activities. At the workshops it was not a true community but only a place to practice new ideas. It was only after Elbow and Donald Murray and Donald Graves and apparently Kenneth Brufee, and others came along proposing and teaching the process approach to writing.

Invalid or Invaluable? It depends. I have seen it work well in my classroom, but it true- it's not easy.

I was very interested in the research of Brammer and Rees, but not surprised with their results. The students mostly participated in peer review and feedback because the teacher required it and students valued the process in relation to how much the teachers expected them to do this and also to the extent that they were taught how to do this. Also, students who were taught and given more models were more confident in this strategy of peer review.

The students in this research are in a middle school. They don't come to school ( as Bizzell pointed out) with many ideas outside of their own community and culture. So it depends on what they are writing about . If they are allowed to write about things they know and care about, then they will be more engaged in writing and will value what they write. With more confidence, students will be more willing to learn about peer review as a way to develop their ideas and writing.

The article mentioned that students valued the process more in relation to how much training they had in peer review. Some teachers gave a list of questions to ask or look for. Definitely with middle school students,or younger, students will need very explicit instruction to build confidence.

Likewise, students should be steered away from any grammar or punctuation feedback before the content is first responded to. In the research they found that grammar feedback was often the majority what students gave and received. That can be helpful and needed IF it is after receiving feedback on the ideas and content and only if it is a student who is strong in grammar. Otherwise the students would be right who said it was a waste of time.

For peer review to be helpful, Teachers should give lots of scaffolding, and students strengths should be recognized. Some students who can't write a sentence well or or know where to put a comma may have great creative ideas. Students who can't spell may have a terrific oral vocabulary and be able to help with word choice.

Peer review in elementary can be helpful for both the giver and receiver but it would look differently than middle school. Like wise in graduate school peer revision should be easier but the principles are the same. Another point is that students can give feedback in other areas besides writing. There should be peer review( collaboration) across the contents. Often a student can help a peer work out a math problem in a different way, or one could give feedback in writing a lab report or figuring out a timeline for history.

I have always sought out feedback on my writing from my dad, my husband, my sister and my sons. Although I don't remember receiving organized peer review in classes, in the right situation, I would value it.