Peer Review Sharing

Overview

This 50-minute lesson is Lesson 11 of 15 in the "Brazilian Adventures in Writing" unit, designed for Year 2 students. The focus is on developing pupils’ writing through peer review, emphasising constructive feedback to support narrative improvement. This lesson aligns with the National Curriculum for England’s Programme of Study for English: Writing at Key Stage 1.

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National Curriculum Links

Writing – Programme of Study (Year 2):

• Pupils should be taught to:
  • Draft and write by organising ideas into basic narratives and sequences (Writing – compositional skills).
  • Evaluate and edit by assessing their own and others’ writing, suggesting improvements (writing – editing and improving).
• Spoken Language:
  • Listen and respond appropriately to others in discussion.
  • Participate in collaborative conversations and provide feedback politely.

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Learning Objectives

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

1. Share their own narrative stories confidently with a partner.
2. Identify and discuss strengths in a peer’s narrative story using positive and specific language.
3. Suggest one clear area for improvement, using kind and supportive language.
4. Reflect briefly on the feedback they receive and consider one way to improve their writing.

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Success Criteria

• I can explain what I liked about my partner’s story.
• I can give a simple suggestion to help improve their story.
• I can listen carefully to feedback about my own story and say one thing I will change.
• I use kind words when giving feedback.

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Resources

• Copies of pupils’ draft narrative stories.
• “Feedback Friend” checklist cards (simple visual prompts reminding pupils how to give positive and helpful feedback).
• Whiteboard and marker.
• Writing books or paper and pencils for noting feedback.
• Visual prompt posters with sentence starters:
  • “I liked when you...”
  • “One thing that could be even better is...”
  • “One idea I have for you is...”

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Recap: Briefly remind pupils about their narrative stories - the adventures they created about Brazil.
• Discuss: What does it mean to give feedback? Explain that feedback helps writers make their stories better and that it’s important to be kind and specific.
• Model: Use an example story (teacher-created or anonymous from previous lessons). Read it aloud and model giving positive feedback and one helpful suggestion. Refer to the “Feedback Friend” checklist.
• Highlight the use of sentence starters on the board, reading them aloud with the class.

2. Main Activity: Paired Peer Review (30 minutes)

• Pair pupils up, ideally mixing abilities so stronger writers can support others gently.
• Step 1 (5 minutes): Pupils take turns reading their own stories aloud to their partner.
• Step 2 (15 minutes):
  • The listener uses the checklist and sentence starters to give at least:
    1. Two positive comments (strengths).
    2. One kind suggestion for improvement.
  • The reader listens carefully and asks questions if needed.
• Step 3 (5 minutes): Pupils swap roles and repeat the process.
• Teacher’s role: Circulate, support discussions, prompt kindness, and deeper thinking where needed.

3. Plenary: Whole Class Reflection (10 minutes)

• Invite a few volunteers to share one positive comment they gave or received and one improvement idea they found useful.
• Reinforce: how helpful feedback makes writing stronger.
• Pupils then write or draw a quick reflection in their writing books:
  • “One thing I liked about my partner’s story is…”
  • “One way I will make my story better is…”

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative assessment through teacher observation of paired discussions: Check pupils are giving kind, specific feedback.
• Review pupils’ written reflections to assess understanding of peer feedback and engagement with revision.
• Use notes from the “Feedback Friend” checklists as evidence of pupils’ ability to identify strengths and improvements.

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Differentiation and Support

• For lower-attaining pupils: Provide simplified sentence starters and visuals; support with teacher or teaching assistant joining pairs as needed.
• For higher-attaining pupils: Challenge them to explain why something works well in a story and suggest more than one area to improve.
• Encourage pupils who are shy readers to focus feedback on pictures or one part of the story.

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Extension Ideas

• Create a feedback “postcard” where students write a brief encouraging message about a peer’s story to be posted on a shared classroom display.
• Introduce a simple “Author’s Response” activity where pupils write a short note thanking their partner for feedback and stating their next step.

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Reflection for Teachers

• Did pupils engage well with giving and receiving feedback?
• Were pupils able to use sentence starters fluently?
• How did peer review impact pupils’ attitude towards their writing choices?
• Note any pupils requiring further scaffolded support for next lessons.

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This lesson not only meets the statutory requirements from the National Curriculum for Year 2 English but fosters crucial skills in respect, collaboration, and metacognition in young writers. The use of sentence starters and checklists equips pupils with language and structure to give meaningful, growth-focused feedback—a key lifelong skill.