CONFERENCE GROUPS

 “No passion in the world is equal to the passion to alter someone else’s draft.” 

                                                                                                         -- H. G.Wells                                                                                                                                                                         

In our last couple of entries we shared some ways for students to begin to give/receive feedback on their writing.  Pair/share– just listen to my draft and share a reaction, such as what stood out to you or Say Back what you heard work effectively for beginning writers.  However, as writers mature, more complex feedback can be required.  Creating conference groups (usually 4-5 students) definitely increases the opportunities for students to develop stronger writing. 

Take some time to develop expectations for sharing writing because creating these groups can be tricky. Perhaps ask students to identify one/two classmates for their group.  Also, I found that mixing stronger writers with weaker ones benefited both.   

In addition, to create effective conference groups, you need to give the students some guidance. Here are some suggestions for peer response that might be helpful in preparing for conference group meetings (even breakout groups online!).   

CONFERENCE GUIDELINES 

1.  On conference days, members will gather to read, and one by one each writer should read aloud his/her composition to the group.

2.  Before any discussion takes place, the writer should indicate the type of assistance desired most.  (problem spot?  organization? etc.) 

3.  Each listener should then briefly respond to the entire piece.  A good practice is to identify words, phrases, or images that work quite effectively.

4.  Next each listener has an opportunity to ask about something that is unclear or something that needs more explanation.   

5.  Listeners should avoid telling the writer what to do, but they may respond to direct questions from the writer.  (“Do you think I should omit this section?”)

6.  Remember: this is not an editing/proofreading conference.  Members could seek that feedback in the written responses OR preferably, they could seek a partner to read a LATER draft.

Another approach is for each student to provide draft copies to their group members with the following instructions: 

1.    Please give me feedback for the following questions I have about my writing.

                        Question #1     

                        Your feedback:

                        Question #2

                        Your feedback:

2.    Underline those parts of my draft you especially liked, found effective, or found   memorable.  In the left hand margin next to each part underlined, briefly note why you underlined it.

Possible reflection for that process:

1.    The single most helpful comment (written or oral) that I received was:

2.    As a result of the group feedback, I changed my draft in the following ways:

3.    My conference group as a whole worked well in these areas:

4.    My conference group as a whole had difficulty with:

Remember you are the writer of the piece, so decisions about what you will change and what you leave unaltered are up to you.  However, writing is a social activity, so you need to be aware of what you can do to communicate with your readers as clearly as possible.