Peer Review and Feedback

Unit: Exploring Global Poetry

Lesson 7 of 10
Duration: 60 minutes
Class size: 30 students
Year Group: 9 (age 13-14)

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National Curriculum Links

English Programme of Study - Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9):

• Reading:
  • "Students should be taught to: read a wide range of fiction, poetry, plays, non-fiction and reference books or textbooks."
  • "Learn to appreciate and understand the depth and power of the English literary heritage."
• Writing:
  • "Plan, draft, edit and proofread their writing."
  • "Use knowledge of literary devices and poetic techniques to create and develop imaginative texts."
• Spoken Language:
  • "Give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including expressing feelings."
  • "Use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining and exploring ideas."

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Learning Objectives (WALT)

• WALT: Give and receive constructive feedback on poetry to improve writing.
• Success Criteria:
  • Provide at least two constructive, specific comments on a peer’s poem.
  • Use sentence starters to articulate feedback clearly and respectfully.
  • Reflect thoughtfully on feedback received and plan revisions.

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Resources Needed

• Printed or digital copies of student poetry drafts
• Peer review feedback sheets with sentence starters (e.g., "I like how you...", "I think you could...", "One suggestion is...")
• Whiteboard / projector for modelling feedback
• Highlighters or coloured pens for marking poems
• Optional: audio recording devices for reading poems aloud

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (10 minutes)

• Activity: Warm-up discussion on the importance of constructive feedback in creative writing.
• Write the phrase on the board: “Feedback is a gift.”
• Ask students: Why is feedback helpful? How can it improve poetry?
• Record key ideas (respect, clarity, kindness, specificity).
• Introduce success criteria for feedback.

2. Teacher Modelling (10 minutes)

• Project a sample poem (either a class poem or one prepared by the teacher).
• Model how to give constructive feedback using sentence starters.
• Emphasise balance: positive praise + suggestions for improvement.
• Example comments:
  • "I like the vivid imagery in the second stanza."
  • "I think the rhythm could improve by adding more varied line lengths."
  • "One suggestion is to use a stronger metaphor to convey your theme."

3. Peer Review Session (25 minutes)

• Students work in pairs or small groups (3 students per group for variety).
• Each student exchanges poems and reads peers’ work silently or aloud.
• Using the feedback sheet, each peer provides:
  • 2 constructive comments (must follow sentence starters).
  • Highlight at least one effective poetic technique noticed.
• Teacher circulates, scaffolding where necessary, encouraging deeper analysis.

4. Reflection and Next Steps (10 minutes)

• Students reflect on the feedback received in their books or a reflection sheet:
  • What did I learn about my poem?
  • Which suggestions will I try first? Why?
• Brief whole-class sharing: volunteers explain one change they intend to make.

5. Extension activity / Homework (Optional)

• Students revise their poems based on peer feedback and submit an improved draft in the next lesson.
• Advanced learners create an alternative stanza or rewrite part of their poem experimenting with a new poetic form or technique suggested during peer review.

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Differentiation and Inclusion

• Support: Provide sentence starters for all feedback to scaffold language, particularly for EAL learners and students with SEND. Visual cues on the feedback sheet help structure responses.
• Challenge: Encourage higher ability students to identify sophisticated poetic devices (e.g., enjambment, caesura) and offer suggestions on their use. They can also lead group discussions.
• Engagement: Use mixed-ability pairing to foster peer mentoring. For learners needing sensory support, allow feedback in written or verbal form as preferred.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative assessment through observation of peer feedback quality and engagement during review sessions.
• Review of peer feedback sheets to check relevance, clarity, and constructive nature of comments.
• Reflection sheets assess metacognitive skills and willingness to revise work.

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Final Notes

This lesson actively empowers students with critical reading and speaking skills, nurturing empathy and professionalism in literary critique while adhering to the Key Stage 3 English curriculum. It creates a safe space to practice analytic and evaluative skills essential for poetry writing and broader communication skills, aligning perfectly with the National Curriculum’s focus on spoken language and writing development.