Some teachers make use of short individual conferences for hearing students read their drafts or papers. Students need not add to the teacher s time burden because we can hear a paper and respond to it in 15 or 20 minutes, whereas it usually takes us longer to read and write a response at home. The portfolio gives the students an added incentive to revise, and teachers feel they can give a more valid course grade by looking at multiple pieces written on various occasions. Some teachers use a response grid that specifies the criteria for the assignment in order to make their responding quicker and easier and their grading fairer. Grids give more meaning and feedback than a mere quantitative grade, and they avoid the distortion that comes from summing up the diverse strengths and weaknesses of various dimensions in a piece of writing into a single one-dimensional grade.
Teachers ask students to read their work aloud in pairs or small groups.
This is a very economical process because it helps students hear what works well and badly in their writing without getting any response either from peers or teacher. Sharing without response takes very little time and it helps students learn to enjoy sharing their writing. It also, of course, increases the comprehension of course material by everyone in the small sharing group since they are hearing the ideas or interpretations of classmates. The feedback can be oral or written. Students respond to the content of each others' pieces summarizing what they hear, describing the structure, telling where they agree and disagree, and giving some of their own thoughts that the writer is free to use.