Implementing student peer review to improve students’ writing process

Abstract

The transition challenge : writing skills - For the last four years, I have been lecturing at the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) – one of six post-secondary institutions students can opt to attend after secondary school. Established in 1987 and acting as Malta’s main Tourism and Hospitality educational institution, ITS covers the necessities of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry by offering a vast selection of programmes thus ensuring students have the opportunity of specialising in areas best suited to their abilities and interests (ITS n.d.). During this time at ITS I have come to realise that academic writing at post-secondary can be important and challenging for both students and lecturers. In fact, lecturing at various levels has enhanced my awareness of the commonalities and differences in academic writing expectations at each level. I was able to witness the gap in students’ writing skills between secondary and post-secondary more explicitly when I was appointed External Verifier for VET Hospitality in secondary schools.