The Effectiveness of Peer Assessment in Enhancing Students’ Academic Writing

Abstract Book of the 9th International Academic Conference on Teaching, Learning and Education

Year: 2025

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The Effectiveness of Peer Assessment in Enhancing Students’ Academic Writing

Diana Kiskimbayeva, Aziza Bekbayeva, Aigerim Taishyman

ABSTRACT:

The study examines the effectiveness of peer review in fostering students’ scholarly capabilities within the cycle of planning, teaching, and revisioning. Conducted among 11th grade students at a Kazakhstani intellectual school, the research was situated within the context of English as a third language — not an elective course, but a compulsory subject studied continuously from the first grade. Given to 11th graders at a Kazakhstani intellectual school, this research aimed at the learning of writing abilities—argumentation, grammatical accuracy, and lexical range—through three stages of peer review in a systematic sequence: (1) criteria-based review with short rating marks, (2) written detailed feedback with clear comments and suggestions, and (3) section-by-section review keeping watch for concentrated features of essay structure. Data were gathered with rubric-based marks, student self-reflection, and pre/post performance data.
Students first challenged the authenticity of feedback from peers by feeling that peers lacked experience. But at Stage 3, students acknowledged the surprising power of peer review to help them find their own weaknesses, leading to improved writing production. Student C’s grade increased from 3 to 4 due to stronger argumentation; student B’s increase from 3 to 4 was due to fewer errors in grammar and more apparent reasoning; student A, who was already at the top (grade 6), enhanced their writing by employing a greater vocabulary and more complex structures. Qualitative data analysis revealed recurring themes such as increased self-reflection, improved use of feedback, and varied gains at various levels of proficiency. These findings substantiate that formal peer assessment enables scholarly development, enhances self-understanding, and confirms the Lesson Study model as an effective means of teaching and professional growth.
Student reflection analysis and peer feedback revealed typical benefits of peer assessment, including greater metacognitive awareness, improved ability to write self-monitoring, and more precise use of language. Students demonstrated greater engagement with feedback by Stage 3, with comments revealing that structured, section-by-section peer evaluation enabled them to focus on specific areas for improvement. These findings validate that peer feedback, scaffolded properly, can be an effective learning and improvement force not only of academic quality, but also in promoting autonomy and reflective thinking—and this particularly when teaching English as a third language for high-stakes examinations such as IELTS and IGCSE.

Keywords: EFL; Essay; Feedback; Lesson Study.