Formative assessment by proxy
Collaborative learning is your friend

In my writing classes, the formative assessment technique that delivers the highest payoff for the smallest investment is scripted oral peer coaching.

What is oral peer coaching?

At its most basic level, peer coaching is little more than one student asking another, "How's your paper coming?"

By providing students with specific questions to ask, writing teachers raise that basic, "How's it coming?" inquiry to greater usefulness.

With a teacher-provided script for guidance, students can talk one another through application of writing strategies even if the questioner is not an competent or experienced writer.

Students often find it easier to talk about writing than to write. And in conversation, especially one on one, they don't feel terribly uncomfortable asking, "What do you mean?"

Where's the formative assessment?

If students do not have an answer to a question asked by a peer when their essays are still in the formative stages, they know they need to find an answer before they proceed much farther.

That feedback means students don't have to wait until they get their graded essay back to learn something was missing that they needed in order to get a passing grade.

As students go through the oral activity with a partner a few times, they learn how to think through a writing assignment without a partner. Thus peer coaching becomes a true collaborative learning experience as well as a formative assessment experience.

I had been using the this techniques for several years when I came across a similar suggestion by Donald L. Rubin and William M. Dodd in their 1987 book Talking into Writing: Exercises for Basic Writers.

If you would like the benefits of using peers for formative assessment in teaching writing without the hassle of developing your own instruments, check out my Talk It Out materials for writers of thesis-and-support essays.

Why peer coaching will work well

Peer coaching allows writing teachers a way to provide formative assessment to novice writers who are most in need of individual attention.

Teacher control. The teacher prepares the basic script so while the students act as questioners, they work within established parameters.

Oral answers. Many students find it easier to talk about what they want to write than to prepare a plan on paper.

Individual attention. Each student is walked through his or her essay preparation individually.

Minimal reading. The questions are short, focused. Even students who read poorly can learn the drill by hearing the questions a few times.

Suitability for unskilled writers. Students don't need highly developed writing skills to provide useful feedback to their peers.

Peer pressure. Few students want to look bad before their peers even on something they may regard as silly, such as an English assignment.

Assistance. Students quickly realize that just having someone make them think through their writing project makes writing easier.

Socialization. Teens like to be in a social group. Most of writing is an isolated activity.

Limited bullying potential. Compared to other peer learning techniques, peer coaching offers fewer opportunities for students to exert negative pressure on peers.

Why peer coaching could fail

Like all collaborative learning activities, peer coaching requires preparation and practice.

Inadequate model. Students need to see peer coaching being done. They won't learn just from hearing about it.

Poor script. Questions must be clear, concise, appropriate, and sensibly arranged.

Infrequent use. Like all writing strategies, peer coaching has to be used often enough that students memorize it so they don't need to consult their notes.

Inadequate supervision. Teachers cannot pass out the script and assume students will use it correctly. Students require supervision and feedback.

Fragile egos. Teachers must pay attention to the social interaction between students so one student does not dominate the coaching exchanges.