The thesis is made up of five parts. The first part briefly introduces the background and significance of this thesis. The second part mainly presents the definitions, theoretical bases, and previous studies. The third part mainly discusses the feasibility and effectiveness of peer feedback. The forth part presents four pedagogical suggestions. The last part is the conclusion of the whole thesis.

2. Literature Review源-自-751:,论'文'网]www.751com.cn

2.1 Definition of Feedback and Peer Feedback

The term “feedback” has various kinds of meaning. In the area of teaching and learning, feedback is referred to numerous names such as response, review, correction, evaluation or comment. In an organizational context, feedback is referred to the information sent to an entity (inpidual or a group), who may adjust its current and future behavior to achieve the desired result. A more clarifying description of feedback in the writing was given by Keh, who pointed out that feedback is “…input from a reader to a writer with the effect of offering information to the writer to revise” (Keh, 1990:294). A reader gives the comments, corrections, or suggestions to a writer to help revise their writing.

As identified by Keh, there are three types of feedback in the teaching field, namely, peer feedback, teacher feedback and conferences feedback. Commonly, comments given by peers are called peer feedback. It means that peer feedback is a practice where feedback is provided from one student to the other in language education. In a writing course, after the learners accomplish a writing task, the instructor conduct two students work in pairs to examine each other’s work and give comments to the peer partner. Corrections, opinions, suggestions and ideas to each other are the mainly forms of peer feedback. Thus, peer feedback is a two-way process in which one cooperates with another. Peer feedback is to allow students learn how to judge others’ writing and find mistakes or inadequacy and then to overcome the weak point in their own writing. Peer feedback is an activity that learners receive feedback from other students, or their peers in the revising stage of writing. Typically students work in pairs or small groups, read each other’s compositions and ask questions or give suggestions.

2.2 Theoretical Bases

2.2.1 Zone of Proximal Development

The “Zone of Proximal Development” (ZPD) (Vygotsky, 1978:33) provides a theoretical basis to support the application of peer feedback in the writing instruction. The ZPD is referred to the gap between the actual development levels decided by solving problem independently and the higher level of potential development decided by solving problem collaboratively with more capable peers. The learner’s ZPD is defined as the place where learners are able to perform a task with the help of classmates versus with the help of a teacher or parent.

Vygotsky (1978: 38) pointed out that writing skills can be improved by mutual help among peers. Inpidual’s ZPD can be developed with peers’ assistance, and peer feedback just fit in. The ZPD theory also suggests that learners could potentially facilitate the development of their acquisition.