The Use Of Metacognitive Strategies By Preservice English Teachers In Different Peer Assesment Roles

Recent research has reported advantages of peer assessment for improving learners’metacognition through quantitative methods.However,those quantitative research only emphasized the results showing the positive relationship between peer assessment and learners’ metacognition,but ignored the inner process of how peer assessment relates to learners’ metacognition through their use of metacognitive strategies.Moreover,the literature has not reached a consensus concerning the learning benefits of different peer assessment roles.Furthermore,previous empirical studies tend to emphasize the use of metacognitive strategies by students,while few have focused on the use of metacognitive strategies by teachers and even fewer on that by preservice teachers.This study,taking fourteen preservice English teachers as research participants,adopts a qualitative method to explore how preservice English teachers use metacognitive strategies in the role of the assessee and the role of the assessor.Data sources include stimulated recalls,semi-structured interviews,and case documents.Through data analysis,three major findings are summarized as follows:Firstly,perservice English teachers in the role of the assessee used three major metacognitive strategies throughout the peer assessment:planning strategies,self-monitoring strategies and self-evaluation strategies.In the preparation stage,they mainly used planning strategies and self-monitoring strategies to make preparation for receiving peer assessment.In the assessment stage,they first used self-monitoring and self-evaluation strategies to self-monitor and self-evaluate themselves,then used planning strategies to make preliminary plans for revision.In the reflection stage,they first used self-evaluation strategies to self-evaluate themselves and then used planning strategies to propose plans for revision with careful consideration.Secondly,perservice English teachers in the role of the assessor employed three major metacognitive strategies throughout the peer assessment,namely,planning strategies,self-monitoring strategies,and self-evaluation strategies.In the preparation stage,they applied planning strategies and self-monitoring strategies to prepare for giving peer assessment.In the assessment stage,they mainly used planning strategies to focus on the assessees’ performance and self-monitoring strategies to check their prepared comments and suggestions.In the reflection stage,they first used self-evaluation strategies to self-evaluate themselves and then used planning strategies to establish plans for future tasks.Thirdly,both assessors and assessees used three major metacognitive strategies in the peer assessment process,namely,planning strategies,self-monitoring strategies,and self-evaluation strategies.The assessors used metacognitive strategies more frequently than the assessees in the preparation stage,especially in planning strategies.However,the assessees used metacognitive strategies more frequently in the assessment and reflection stage,especially in self-monitoring and self-evaluation strategies.Moreover,the major differences between the two roles’ use of metacognitive strategies lie in the assessment stage,with the assessees using more types of metacognitive strategies and used them much more frequently than the assessors.Based on the findings,some pedagogical implications can be drawn.First of all,it is advised that preservice English teachers attach equal importance to playing both the role of the assessor and the role of the assessee in peer assessment and participate actively in the process of providing and receiving peer assessment.Moreover,teacher educators are recommended to reasonably make use of peer assessment as an instructional activity in preservice English teachers’ education and help them improve their use of metacognitive strategies.Secondly,it is suggested that teacher educators provide chances for assessees and assessors to have peer discussions in class after peer assessment,which may enable assessees to have a deeper understanding of their peers’ assessments and allow assessors to self-monitor and self-evaluate their assessments.Finally,teacher educators are encouraged to participate in preservice English teachers’ peer assessment practices and offer guidance.For example,they are recommended to guide assessees to make more preparation before receiving peer assessment like previewing the peer assessment criteria in advance or paying special attention to some parts of their works to enhance their use of planning strategies.