bullet">Assess their own work (self-assessment)

Give feedback to classmates (peer assessment)

This can happen during drafting stages, practice presentations, or before final submission. The goal is improvement, not just grading.

Strengths of the Method

One major strength of this assessment is that it supports learning differences among students. Since feedback is ongoing, students who need more time or guidance can improve at their own pace. It also helps students become more aware of their learning, which is important in literacy development.

Another strength is that it promotes active participation and collaboration. Instead of only receiving comments from the teacher, students learn by reviewing others’ work. This helps them understand literacy skills more deeply and builds confidence.

This method also works well for multimodal literacies, because rubrics can include criteria for visuals, audio, and digital elements—not just written text.

Weaknesses of the Method

However, rubric-based peer assessment also has limitations. Some students may find it difficult to give honest or helpful feedback, especially if they are not yet confident. If the rubric is unclear or too complex, students may get confused.

It can also be time-consuming, especially in large classes. Teachers need to guide students, model good feedback, and monitor peer assessments to make sure they are fair and respectful.

Overall, rubric-based peer and formative assessment is a student-friendly and flexible way to assess literacies. When used well, it supports learner differences, encourages reflection, and helps students improve continuously rather than focusing only on final scores.

References:

Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 5(1), 7–74.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0969595980050102

Cope, B., & Kalantzis, M. (2009). Multiliteracies: New literacies, new learning. Pedagogies: An International Journal, 4(3), 164–195.

https://doi.org/10.1080/15544800903076044

Kalantzis, M., Cope, B., Chan, E., & Dalley-Trim, L. (2016). Literacies (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.

https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316443250

Luke, A. (2012). Critical literacy: Foundational notes. Theory Into Practice, 51(1), 4–11.

https://doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2012.636324

Coursera. (n.d.). Multimodal Literacies.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/multimodal-literacies

Selected Literacies Assessment Method: Rubric-Based Peer and Formative Assessment