Peer feedback is structured learner-to-learner feedback on written (or spoken) work. When trained and guided, learners can provide meaningful response to each other's writing, developing both the reviewer's critical awareness and the writer's revision skills. Without training, peer feedback tends to be superficial, focusing on surface errors while missing content and organisational issues.
Untrained peer feedback is typically:
Training is not optional; it is a prerequisite for effective peer feedback.
Show learners what useful feedback looks like. Take a sample text (not from the current class), project it, and model giving feedback: "The topic sentence is clear, so I know what this paragraph is about. But the second sentence doesn't connect to the main idea. I'd suggest removing it or explaining how it relates."
| Tool | How it works |
|---|---|
| Feedback checklist | Specific questions to answer: "Does the introduction have a clear thesis? Are the body paragraphs in a logical order?" |
| Stars and wishes | Write two things that work well (stars) and one suggestion for improvement (wish) |
| Colour coding | Underline the thesis in blue, topic sentences in green, evidence in yellow. Missing colours reveal structural gaps. |
| Guided questions | "What is the writer's main argument? What is the strongest piece of evidence? Where did you get confused?" |
| PMI framework | Plus (what works), Minus (what needs improvement), Interesting (what surprised you or made you think) |
Before reviewing classmates' work, practise on anonymous sample texts. This removes the social pressure and lets learners develop the skill in a safe context.
After peer feedback sessions, discuss: What feedback was most useful? Why? What was hard about giving feedback? This builds metacognitive awareness.
Peer Correction typically refers to correcting errors (grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation), a relatively narrow, accuracy-focused activity. Peer feedback is broader: it encompasses response to content, organisation, argument quality, and style, as well as language accuracy. In writing, peer feedback should prioritise higher-order concerns (ideas, structure, argument) over lower-order concerns (grammar, spelling), mirroring the revising-before-editing principle in Editing and Revising.