PEER ASSESSMENT OF WRITING THROUGH EFL TEACHERS' EYES (CASE OF HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF GEORGIA)

Assessment practices are guided by various factors and one of the most influential from them are teachers' beliefs about it. The primary objective of the present study is to investigate on EFL teachers' attitudes and beliefs regarding peer assessment. The tool for obtaining data for the current paper was the questionnaire survey that was employed with 66 EFL lecturers from private and public higher educational institutions. The results suggest that though the teachers have positive attitude towards peer assessment they lack the knowledge in this issue. The data of the present research revealed that EFL teachers of higher educational institutions in Georgia have positive attitude towards implementing peer assessment method for evaluating the learners' writing. Though, the conclusion made is that the number of participants has either mixed feelings towards peer assessment or neutral (empty) attitudes towards it. Regardless the fact that teachers have readiness for implementing peer assessment in EFL writing they need to deepen their knowledge and raise awareness towards peer assessment to utilize it effectively in EFL writing classes effectively.