Peer Review in the EFL Writing Classroom - Perspectives and Challenges

When non-native English speakers opt to study in English-medium universities, they are entering a learning environment designed primarily with native-speaking students' needs in mind, in particular if the institution subscribes to a "student-centered" approach. As such, core writing classes may be conducted in a way that assumes a native level of proficiency in the language. However, many students may feel they lack the requisite skills when asked to weigh in on their classmates' writing through "peer-review" sessions. Indeed, sometimes the teacher is tasked with "correcting" erroneous feedback provided by students who failed to recognize an error-free sentence. How can student-centered activities be utilized effectively by students who may feel they need more, not less, of the teacher's support? This presentation aims to increase understanding of the thinking behind student-centered learning, in particular to how it applies to an EFL writing class, by discussing some of the challenges this type of learning presents, with a view toward discovering some practical solutions.