High school students are capable of offering valuable insight and feedback for peer work. This lesson explains the benefits of using peer editing in high school and provides an editing checklist you can use in your classroom.
By the time students are in high school, they likely have had a lot of experience writing, editing and revising work. They've also probably spent some time helping their classmates with their writing as well. This is because teachers recognize the value of allowing peers to lend a hand. For starters, peer editing strengthens skills in both students; by looking for criteria in another person's work students are applying skills in a high-level fashion. Peer editing also provides students with another reader's thoughts and feedback, giving a perspective other than a teacher's. Finally, peer editing strengthens social interactions and gives students a chance to practice skills they'll need in their professional lives, like communicating and handling constructive criticism.
High school students can do more than just make sure words are spelled correctly and sentences have correct punctuation. These students are mature enough to now offer a deeper analysis of peer work, diving into craft and content in a way that pushes their peers to make their work the best it can be. High school students' peer editing checklists, used to identify specific criteria you want them to look for, should therefore reflect this high-level skill.
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High school peer editing sessions look a bit different than what we typically see in middle school. Students should be more fluent with basic grammar skills and shift focus instead to other concepts, such as main ideas, transitions, tone, and supportive evidence. As a teacher, you'll have your eye on different skills depending on what you're teaching. A persuasive essay will require a checklist with evidence of opinions and data to back up claims, whereas a narrative essay may need criteria for evaluating figurative language usage.
But don't be overwhelmed. When creating checklists for peer editing, much of the criteria is the same. Use a basic 'bones' template, then take a minute to consider the specifics of the essay you're working on. First think about what makes that essay unique. Perhaps take a look back at the lessons you've taught and integrate those ideas into the checklist. If you've worked on developing a strong voice, consider adding that aspect to your checklist. Finally, a good place to find criteria is in your scoring rubric. If you're going to grade it, students should be given a heads up and an opportunity to make sure they hit the mark.
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