Evaluating and Discovering During Peer Response

This study analyses the talk that occurs when students give opinions and suggestions during response sessions. Discussions of four pairs of ESL university students were audiotaped and transcribed. Discourse segments containing suggestions and opinions were coded according to who initiated the topic, whether or not there was a development of ideas, and the way in which the development occurred. Two major patterns of development were identified in our data: 1) the "evaluate —> suggest" pattern, where the reader transmits suggestions and opinions based on evaluations of the text, and 2) the "observe —> discover" pattern, where the reader and writer mutually explore suggestions and opinions based on their observations about the text. Our findings indicate that the second pattern engages students in collaborative reflection and allows the writer to articulate ideas and strategies for revision. The analysis also indicates that students need coaching in three areas: giving in-depth commentary on the text, participating interactively, and engaging in collaborative reflection. Teaching approaches for addressing these areas are offered.