Peer Review & Edits

Overview

This 60-minute lesson is the final session in the Year 3 unit "Persuasive Letters in Action." Pupils will engage in a collaborative peer review process and then apply constructive feedback to improve their persuasive letters. The lesson explicitly develops speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, consistent with the National Curriculum for England (Years 2 and 3: English Programme of Study).

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National Curriculum Links

English - Writing (Year 3)

• Composition:
  • Plan and draft by discussing writing, recording ideas, and organising paragraphs around a theme.
  • Evaluate and edit by assessing the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing and suggesting improvements.
  • Use appropriate grammar and vocabulary, including persuasive language for effect.
• Spoken Language:
  • Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, improvisations, and debates.
  • Listen and respond appropriately to others.

English - Reading

• Continue to develop comprehension by identifying key persuasive features in peers' work.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, all pupils will be able to:

• Identify and explain persuasive techniques used in peer letters.
• Give constructive, positive feedback on persuasive writing.
• Apply peer feedback to independently revise their own letter for clarity, persuasiveness, and structure.
• Reflect verbally on the impact of edits and improvements made.

Success Criteria:

• Use a checklist of persuasive features to guide feedback.
• Provide at least two suggestions for improvement to their partner peacefully and clearly.
• Make at least two purposeful edits to their own letter.

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Resources

• Persuasive Letter Writing Checklist (visual handout with key techniques: emotive language, rhetorical questions, repeated phrases, strong openings and closings)
• Copies of pupils’ draft persuasive letters
• "Feedback Sentence Starters" display cards (e.g., "I liked how you...", "You could improve...", "Have you thought about...")
• Editing pens (different colours)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Timer
• Optional: Laptops/tablets for typed edits (if available)
• Visual display of "Peer Review Rules" (kindness, listening, honesty)

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter (10 minutes): Visual & Interactive Refresher

• Activity: Whole class brainstorming on persuasive letter techniques – use interactive whiteboard or large visual poster.
• Method: Display examples of emotive words, rhetorical questions, and sentence openers.
• Pupils shout out examples from their own letters or the checklist to fill in the poster.
• Use a quick fast-paced quiz (“Thumbs up” if you did this technique).

Purpose: Activate prior knowledge and focus attention on key elements for peer review.

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2. Main Activity Part 1: Peer Review (20 minutes)

• Pair Work: Pupils strategically paired (mixed ability – one stronger with one developing writer).
• Task: Exchange letters with their partner and use the Persuasive Letter Writing Checklist to read and review.
• Encourage partners to take turns reading aloud parts of the letter to engage speaking and listening skills.
• Pupils use Feedback Sentence Starters to give constructive feedback verbally and record comments on peer’s letter draft.

Teacher role: Circulate, prompt deeper thinking with questions (e.g., "Can you find a stronger emotive word here?"). Highlight positive use of persuasive features publicly to reinforce learning.

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3. Main Activity Part 2: Final Edits (20 minutes)

• Individual Work: Pupils use peer feedback to revise and polish their own letter.
• Use different colour pens for edits to visually separate new changes.
• Provide scaffolds for learners needing extra help (e.g., word banks, sentence starters).
• Advanced learners challenge themselves by adding an additional persuasive technique not yet used.

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4. Plenary: Reflection & Sharing (10 minutes)

• Invite a few volunteers (especially advanced learners) to share their improved letters or perform a short presentation explaining the persuasive strategies they applied.
• Class gives positive feedback using thumbs up or ‘Two stars and a wish’ approach.
• Recap the power of peer feedback and collaborative learning.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Support: Pair less confident writers with supportive peers and provide sentence starters and word banks. Use visual reminders. Allow scribing support for spelling or handwriting if needed.
• Challenge: Encourage advanced learners to think critically about subtler persuasive devices (e.g., repetition, exaggeration) and present their work confidently. Provide an extension task (see below).
• Behaviour: Use clear visual rules for peer-review to ensure respectful, focused interaction.

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Extension Activity

• Advanced learners create a short multimedia presentation (poster, slideshow, or role-play) to explain their letter’s persuasive strategies to the class.
• Alternatively, compose an additional persuasive paragraph on a new topic to practise transferring skills.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through observation of peer review discussions and written feedback quality.
• Review final edited letters for effective use of persuasive techniques and improvements made from drafts.
• Use a simple assessment rubric aligned with writing objectives (evidence of planning, persuasive language, organisation, and editing).
• Pupils self-assess their confidence with persuasive writing and peer feedback during plenary.

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Teacher Reflection Prompts for Next Teaching Cycle

• Which persuasive techniques were most challenging for pupils?
• How effective was peer feedback in improving writing quality?
• Were differentiation and extension strategies successful in engaging all learners?
• How can visual and hands-on methods be further developed?

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This hands-on, collaborative lesson celebrates pupils’ creativity and critical thinking, fully addressing Year 3 National Curriculum writing and spoken language goals whilst nurturing a supportive classroom community.