MYP 4 Peer learning - from collaborative writing to individual writing- Language and Literature- Mayura Tiwari

Peer learning - from collaborative writing to individual writing

Learning Engagement:

The first unit for grade 9 revolved around Task 3 that requires three things of the children: an understanding and application of the Global Context, connection with the prompt to create a nonfictional text reflecting a particular perspective.

Decoding the different strands is the first step and exploring it as a class on a common Google doc has proved very effective through the years. It helps children learn from each other and build on ideas. The children find issues that relate to each strand, the text type that would lend itself to explore this and are encouraged to create a GC based perspective question to explore the issue.

Since the children learn best from and alongside peers, I got them to cocreate a piece for the first, familiar text type. This was either a blog or an article. They uploaded their pieces in a common drive so that everyone could read all the pieces, discuss at least three in their group and give feedback based on certain points, which would be incorporated. This was comment-based peer feedback.

For the next text type they created - a podcast script - they wrote in pairs and recorded the podcast. This was again uploaded on the same drive. The children were familiarised again with the criteria and expectations of the task. Each podcast was played back to the class. And once again, each pair assessed the podcast. This was level based, though they were encouraged to give comment-based feedback as well. This exercise helped them get familiar with the criteria. They were also critical without being mean.

For third text type - a speech- they wrote their own. We began with the children posting issues faced by teenagers across the world on a big World Map. This included specific ones in conflict areas. After that they discussed these issues in groups. They then picked up one issue to write a speech on to deliver at an International Student Conference.

This time, unfortunately, as they typed their speech and so had access to Google and AI, some children lifted from AI without giving it their own touch. I gave them feedback. The levels and feedback made an impression. The next speech they had to write by hand, and this was very authentic.

Finally, for the fourth text type - an opinion piece - they wrote their own, by hand, in response to an article, and it was assessed by me. But before they wrote, we had debates in class to explore perspective, as that is the key concept that drives this unit and comes across most strongly in an opinion piece. The topics were chosen by the children and the panel of judges was also constituted by the children. I was very impressed by the feedback given by the judges, especially Sara and Rajveer, who had participated in the WSC.

Uploading everything on a common drive provides an expansive peer learning experience for those who value it. It is unobtrusive because it can be accessed by any of the children, at any time. It takes away the hesitation of asking for their pieces. The ones assessed by me were not uploaded to the drive. This narrow down scaffolding and peer learning approach worked well last year so I tried it again this year.

Impact of the engagement on students and their reflection: The children responded positively to this approach and have been engaged. I took oral feedback on this approach from them and they all said it worked for them.

My reflection as a teacher: There was some tendency by some to lift from AI. However, on the whole, especially when they wrote by hand, the pieces were authentic. They liked the fact that they explored issues and got to also choose what to write on. The activity where they posted issues gave even the usually quiet ones a chance to make their learning visible. The atmosphere of peer learning gave the children confidence, which came through clearly in the debate.

-Mayura Tiwari