Peer and self-assessment as tools to develop students oral communication strategies Cecilia Chan, Doris Lee and Ivy Su

1. Peer and self-assessment as tools to develop students� oral communication strategiesCecilia Chan, Doris Lee and Ivy SunS. K. H. Li Fook Hing Secondary School

2. Overview Research objectives (Doris) Rationale (Doris) Research questions (Cecilia) Methodology (Cecilia) Results and Discussion (Ivy) Implications (Ivy)

3. (1) Research objectives To raise students� awareness on the assessment criteria on communicative strategies in group discussions. To help students make improvements in their oral communicative strategies through peer and self assessment. To understand the perception of teachers and students towards the use of peer and self-assessment forms in group discussions.

4. (2) Rationale Learners were not aware of the strategies. Benefits of self-assessment and peer assessment: 1. Self-assessment: Is an active participation in learners� learning and is a �continuous longitudinal process� (Topping, 2003); Helps learners focus on their perception of progress (Harris, 1997).

5. (2) Rationale (cont�d) Promotes learner autonomy: to be in charge of learning (Holec, 1987). Helps students monitor their progress and alleviate teachers� burden (Harris, 1997)

6. (2) Rationale (cont�d) 2. Peer assessment Allows learners to collect feedback from others (Holec, 1980). Promotes interaction (Lockhart and Ng, 1993).

7. (2) Rationale (cont�d) 3. Peer assessment Vs Self-assessment Peer assessment is supplementary to self-assessment (Oskarsson, 1980), while some think they can be implemented in lessons at the same time (Yuen, 1998).

8. (2) Rationale (cont�d) 4. Some studies: An action research done in 1998 with a group of secondary six students (Yuen, 1998) Trained self-assessment helped learners prepare for external examinations, career and learning (McDonald and Boud, 2003)

9. (2) Rationale (cont�d) 5. A good bridging for TSA in secondary 3 and SBA in secondary 4.

10. (3) Research Questions To what extent do peer and self-assessments help students with their awareness of communicative strategies. How do peer and self assessments help students develop their oral communication strategies? What is the perception of teachers and students towards peer and self-assessments?

11. (4) Methodology(A) Subjects: 2 groups of S1 students (53 students) 1 group of S2 students (20 students)

12. (B) Context: Most S1 students did not have any group discussion practice when they were in primary school. The idea of having peer evaluation and self evaluation towards their discussion was new to them. Even the students were not used to communicating in English, they were willing to do so during lessons.

13. (C) Data Collection Instruments: Worksheet for brainstorming Video Peer Evaluation Form Self Evaluation Form Video-taping Focus group interview Teacher participants� observation

14. (D) Stages of the research Background information of the implementation: Most group discussions were held during the lessons and some of them were held after school. The focus group interviews were conducted after school.

16. (5) Results and Discussion 1. General observation 2. Students� awareness of communicative strategies 3. Teachers and students� perception of peer and self-assessment tools 4. Challenges and limitations

17. Results and Discussion (cont�d) General observation Increased confidence I think I am more active and confident than before. I speak louder now. (S13) Improved grades

18. Results and Discussion (cont�d) 2. Students� awareness of communicative strategies An effective consciousness-raising strategy (Both classes) Some students were able to refer to their targets during reflection (Both) The forms helped me to focus on the specific areas that I want and need to improve. I have learned more about eye-contact, body language and giving responses. (S11) After the goal setting, in the coming second and third discussions, we could achieve our goals. (S12) Reviewing my goals really helped me a lot. It always reminded me what my goals were and helped me improve. (S13) We became more serious. In the first time, we just read it from notes. But in the second time, we had more eye-contact and we had more facial expressions. (S23) We spoke up and became less nervous. (S24)

19. Results and Discussion (cont�d) 3. Teachers and students� perception of peer and self-assessment tools Teachers Not only can the students have a record of what their strengths and weaknesses are, but teachers can also have a record showing the progress of each student. Students The comments that they have given me are good. Also, I agree that I have to work on the areas highlighted by my classmates. I will do it better next time. (S21) The worksheet is set in a way to help us understand better of our strengths and weaknesses. (S23)

20. Results and Discussion (cont�d) 4. Challenges and limitations 1. Target setting: My goal was to speak clearly and to eliminate �hmm� and �ar�. In the discussion this time, I�ve noticed I have eliminated it. I also speak clearly this time. (S13) Before participating in the last discussion, I looked at the targets I set last time. (S12) I have forgotten my targets so I don�t think I have made any improvement. (S14) 2. Methodology: I don�t want to fill out the forms so many times. (S11) Self evaluation is rather complicated and difficult to do because it requires a lot of writing. (S14) Some students found it difficult to write in English. Not bad but I�d prefer more speaking skills to be included. (S22)

21. Results and Discussion (cont�d) 4. Challenges and limitations Methodology (con�t): It is a bit hard for me to have self-assessment because I was very nervous during the discussion and not conscious enough to assess my own performance. I considered the feeling of my classmates so I was not so critical.

22. Results and Discussion (cont�d) 3. Other challenges: Traditional power roles Striking a balance between teacher assessment and assessment conducted by students (Wilkes, 1995) Teachers� workload

23. (6) Implications Research B. Teaching

24. Implications (cont�d) Research Improvement on methodology Longitudinal research Direction of research

25. Implications (cont�d) B. Teaching Reflective journals Immediate peer feedback Teacher-student conference I will write them down in a notebook. I will bring the notebook with me every time when I go to a discussion. (S14)

26. References Cram, B. (1995). Self-assessment from theory to practice. Developing a workshop guide to teachers. In Geoff Brindley (ed) Language Assessment in Action. Sydney, NSW: Macquarie University. Harris, M. (1997). Self-assessment of Language Learning in Formal Settings. ELT Journal, 51(1), 12-20. Holec, H. (1980). Learner training: meeting needs in self-directed learning. In H.B. Altman and JC Vanghan (Eds.) Foreign Language Learning: Meeting Individual needs. Oxford: Pergamon. Holec, H. (1987). The learner as manager: managing learning or managing to learn? In A.L. Wenden and J Rubin (Eds.) Learner strategies in language learning. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Lockhart, C. & Ng, P. (1993). How useful is peer response? Perspectives. 5(1): 17-30. McDonald, B. & Boud, D. (2003) The impact of self-assessment on achievement: The effects of self-assessment training on performance in external examinations. Assessment in Education, 10(2), 209-220.

27. References (cont�d) Min, H.T. (2006). The effects of trained peer review on EFL students� revision types and writing quality. Journal of Second Language Writing, 15(2), 118-141. Oskarsson, M. (1980). Approaches to self-assessment in foreign language learning. Oxford: Pergamon. Topping, K. (2003). Self and Peer Assessment in School and University: Reliability, validity and utility. In M. Segers et.al. (eds.) Optimizing New Modes of Assessment: In Search of Qualities and Standards, p.55-87. Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Wilkes, M. (1995). Learning pathways and the assessment process: a replication of study on self-and-peer assessment in the ESL classroom. In G. Brindley (ed.) Language Assessment in Action. Sydney, NSW: Macquarie University. Yuen, J.H.M. (1998). Implementing peer assessment and self-assessment in a Hong Kong classroom. Unpublished MA thesis. Hong Kong: University of Hong Kong.

28. Thank you!