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Why use Peer Editing strategy?

• Students can make changes to their writing before they submit
• Students can see how their fellow classmates’ work and generate new ideas
• Students practice editing skills

Guided Planning
Materials (ie technology access requirements, room configuration, additional resources)

• Devices with access to internet
• Or, for low-tech environments, hard copies of student’s original writing/highlighters or pens
• Students should be in pairs or groups of three

Student Background Knowledge (How familiar are students with CERCA? What prior knowledge, skills or experience should students have?)

• Students should be aware of the 5 components of ThinkCERCA and the rubric system
• Students should also have basic editing skills

Instructions

1. Have students go over their writing and highlight (identify) the claim, evidence, reasoning and counter argument all in different color. If you are using a device have the students copy and paste their writing into a Google doc and they can highlight right on there. If they are using hard copies just try and use different colors so they can distinguish each component. Later on in the year you can have the other peer find all the components when you start put have the original writer highlight.
2. Have students switch with the other person and have the peer read through and see if they agree with all of the checked or highlighted components and make any comments or changes they feel are needed. Have them only focus on content of the writing first. Alternately, you can focus on a specific component, such as evidence or reasoning.
3. After editing, have them go back and focus conventions, such as basic proofreading to improve spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
4. Once students complete editing they should share their feedback aloud and provide further context for the writer for their revisions.

Outcomes (What do students learn by utilizing this strategy?)

• Students practice their editing skills (See University of Chicago studies on the impact of peer editing on college and career readiness).
• Students are able to make changes to their CERCA before finally submitting.
• Using peers as a real audience of their writing helps students become aware of the importance of considering the audience in their writing.

Tips/Modifications

• This is a great strategy/lesson that could include all of the students in the classroom.
• Modeling the firsts peer-editing session is strongly encouraged, so students understand the importance of positive feedback and the use of resources like the rubric to guide peer-to-peer revision.
• While students are editing teachers can circulate to provide extra help to students who are working at different levels of readiness.