The Impact of Peer Review on EFL Learners’ Writing Proficiency: Global and Local Aspects

Abstract

In response to the theoretical claims considering the beneficial effects of peer review on EFL learners’ writing development, this study compares two groups of participants to determine whether the most advantageous effects of peer review can be found in giving or receiving feedback. At two proficiency levels (high vs. low), 122 female EFL learners studying in high-intermediate levels were divided into two groups of givers (participants who only give feedback) and receivers (participants who receive feedback). Three training sessions were held and the results showed that givers improved more significantly than receivers, and almost equally in both global and local aspects of writing, regardless of their proficiency level.

Este estudio tiene como objetivo comparar dos grupos de participantes para determinar si el efecto beneficioso consiste en dar o recibir comentarios evaluativos. Con este objetivo fueron seleccionados dos grupos en dos niveles diferentes, de 122 estudiantes femeninas y divididas en dos grupos: receptor (participantes que solamente dieron comentarios evaluativos) y evaluador (participantes que solamente recibieron comentarios evaluativos). Se celebraron tres sesiones de entrenamiento/prueba y los datos, sin considerar su nivel de competencia, indicaban que los evaluadores disfrutaban de una habilidad más significativa en la destreza de escritura comparando con los receptores.