Read-Around (RAG) Groups for Feedback

 A favorite method of providing feedback in my classes has been through Read-Around-Groups or RAG. This works particularly well with short rough drafts completed after a writing lesson on a particular skill you want students to try, or on sections of papers where students are looking for the use of various techniques.

For example, if I have been working with my class on effective introductions and thesis statements, I will have my students create rough drafts of their essays, and we will use the Rag process to give feedback. 

Process:

Day 1

1. Students create rough drafts implementing a current writing concept the class has been working on

2.  Students put a codename on their paper instead of their real name, so other students are not influenced in their opinions of a friend's paper.

Day 2

3. Create groups of 3-4 students; remind them of what they will be looking for in the papers they read.

4. Shuffle and divide papers between groups so that everyone has a single paper to read.

5. Have each group assign one person to be a reporter/recorder of the best example in each group of papers that illustrates the concept being worked on.

6. Once all papers have been distributed, remind students what they will be looking for in the papers (Introduction? Transitions? Conclusions? Evidence?) using a stopwatch/timer, give each group 3-5 minutes (depending on length of excerpts) to read and pass around papers within their group.

7. Allow 1 minute for them to decide on the best example in their group and for the recorder to mark the paper's code on a piece of paper.

8. Rotate the papers from one group to another in a clock-wise fashion. (Rotate all at the same time) Continue timing, recording and rotating the papers until all papers have been read and recorded by each group. (This may take an entire class period).

9. The recorders hand in the list of "best" examples decided on by their group. Inevitably, a few papers will be chosen over and over by all groups.)

Day 3

10. Teacher asks the writers of the most frequently selected papers (2 or 3) to read them to the class. A discussion follows with students commenting again on what they thought stood out in those papers.

11. Students revise their own rough drafts.

This is a very engaging process but it only works when all participants have a draft to submit. If someone does not have a draft, I have them sit off to the side and work on their own draft.

For me, this process has always worked best when students were reading short excerpts rather than entire papers. Try it - modify it - enjoy the process.

Is it possible to do this online? If students submit their drafts to you online, is there a way to arrange breakout rooms to look at and discuss papers? I'm not sure. Let us know, if this might be possible in a modified way. I hope you'll try it!