PEER FEEDBACK AND SELF-FEEDBACK IN ESSAY WRITING INSTRUCTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN UNDERGRADUATE EAP COURSE IN CROATIA

Abstract

This paper describes an experiment which introduced peer feedback sessions in writing instruction in an EAP undergraduate course. Previously, peer feedback activity was complementary to written teacher feedback, but as soon as certain positive effects were noticed, it was decided to experiment with replacing teacher feedback with tailored peer feedback sessions (a combination of peer feedback with focus on feedback givers and self-feedback). Finally, research was conducted to analyse if students who engaged only in peer feedback sessions (experimental group) could produce equally successful essays as those students who received additional teacher written feedback (control group). The results of the study confirmed the researcher’s expectations and provided encouragement to further use peer feedback sessions (with self-feedback) in writing instruction within this course.