THE IMPACTS OF PEER-ASSESSMENT AND PEER-FEEDBACK ON STUDENTS’ WRITING SKILL DEVELOPMENT- AN ACTION RESEARCH ON GRADE 10 SECTION A DOBA HIGH SCHOOL

Abstract

The aim of this research was to apply peer assessment and peer-feedback impacts on writing class at Doba Secondary School in western Hararge Zone, at Doba town to develop writing skill. The students’ writing skill was very low, because they gave attention primary on grammar section, reading passage, vocabulary and parts of speech or speaking. To cut this, the researcher carried out this study to examine whether practical peer assessment and peer-feedback develop students’ writing skill. The research design for the study was an action research. Doing this action research, the researcher used interview and observation tools to explore the practice of learning the writing skill based on Burns (2009) cycle model doing action research in ELT. Peer assessment and peer-feedback practice implemented in the classroom on foreign language especially in writing section and available English period for six weeks. The practitioner had provided different activities from students’ textbook with classroom situation and observed the development of students’ writing skill. Based on the activities of grade ten English textbook, the researcher collected necessary information using structured interview from students and strengthened with observation from the beginning to the end. The collected data were categorized depend on the objectives and analyzed qualitatively in a narrative form. The finding of the study indicated that students’ low participation practice and teaching writing do not improve it. Accordingly, the study proved that students’ writing practice in classroom and as homework develop the skill.