Peer feedback benefits in composition have been researched in
various EFL and ESL contexts. Typically carried out in intermediate to advanced proficiency–level contexts, little has been done
with low-level students, potentially because of greater perceived
challenges with syntactic, grammatical, and linguistic knowledge.
This curriculum-inquiry project investigates the effects of using
a collaborative approach rather than an evaluative approach for
peer feedback in low-proficiency–level writing tasks. Working
alongside an existing reading and writing curriculum, the peer
feedback innovation seeks to support the overall course goals
while providing explicit, scaffolded support to navigate the necessary pragmalinguistic knowledge, collaborative attitudes, and
peer feedback tasks. In addition to the student-reported benefits
of feedback and linguistic evidence of their ability/inability to incorporate collaborative attitudes, the inquiry ends with practical
suggestions for writing instructors of low-proficiency students.