How to use Scrible to Support Socratic Seminars

Students can use Scrible to organize pre-seminar research and annotate texts with insightful questions and comments. This activity enhances participation, ensuring a richer, more informed discussion.

Objective: Students will use Scrible to conduct pre-seminar research and annotate texts with insightful questions and comments to enhance their participation and contribute to a more informed and dynamic Socratic seminar discussion.

Learning Outcome: Students will be able to effectively engage in Socratic seminars, using their annotations to drive deep, meaningful discussions, and will develop critical thinking, analytical skills, and the ability to articulate their ideas clearly and respond thoughtfully to others.

Step 1 - Research

Rationale: Conduct pre-seminar research and annotate relevant texts in Scrible primes students for deep engagement in the seminar. By annotating questions and insights, they prepare themselves with specific points to discuss and activate their critical thinking and analytical skills. This preparation ensures they are ready to engage substantively, fostering a seminar environment where students dive beyond surface-level discussion.

Activity:

• Students begin by selecting a text or a set of texts that will be the focus of the Socratic seminar. They conduct preliminary research to understand the context, background, or any relevant information that will enhance their comprehension and engagement with the text.

• While reading and researching, students use Scrible to annotate the text with questions that arise, insights they have, or connections they make. These annotations should provoke thought or inquiry, aiming to explore the text's deeper meanings or implications.

• Encourage students to annotate confusing segments, areas of agreement or disagreement, and points that particularly resonate or provoke curiosity.

Step 2 - Annotation

Rationale: Annotating texts with questions and comments for seminar discussion deepens the preparatory work, moving from initial reactions and questions to more thoughtful, discussion-provoking commentary. By formulating questions and comments that encourage exploration, students contribute to creating a dynamic, interactive seminar. This approach promotes a collaborative learning atmosphere where students learn from each other's perspectives and insights.

Activity:

• Expanding on their initial annotations, students should focus on developing questions to stimulate discussion. These questions should not have simple yes or no answers but should encourage exploration, debate, and critical thinking.

• Annotations should include comments that provide personal insights, connect the text to broader themes or real-world issues, or relate to other works or ideas.

• Students can use Scrible's features to share these annotations with peers or teachers before the seminar, fostering a collaborative preparatory environment.

Step 3 - Discussion

Rationale: Using annotated questions and comments actively in a seminar discussion culminates the students' preparatory work, where they apply their critical thinking and communication skills. Using their annotations as discussion points, students ensure that the conversation is anchored in the text while being expansive and exploratory. This practice enhances their ability to articulate ideas clearly, listen to and consider others' perspectives, and engage in meaningful dialogue.

Activity:

• During the seminar, students refer to their annotated questions and comments gathered in Scrible to participate actively in the discussion. They should introduce their annotations to the group, provide context, and explain why they found these points noteworthy.
• Students are encouraged to respond to peers' Scrible annotations, building on, contrasting, or questioning the ideas presented.
• The seminar should be a fluid exchange of ideas, with students using their annotations as a springboard for deeper exploration of the text and related concepts.

Step 4 - Reflection

Rationale: Incorporating a post-seminar reflection on the discussion is a critical learning component, allowing students to consolidate and articulate their understanding and experiences. By reflecting on how their annotations influenced the discussion and learning, students develop metacognitive skills, becoming more aware of their thought processes and learning strategies. This reflective practice encourages students to intentionally engage and learn, fostering continuous improvement and deeper understanding.

Activity:

• After the seminar, students reflect on the discussion, considering how their annotations contributed to their understanding and engagement with the text.
• They can reflect on how the discussion changed or deepened their understanding of the text, which annotations sparked the most engaging discussions, and how they might approach a similar task differently in the future.
• This reflection can be done in writing (as a Scrible assignment) individually or as a group assignment, allowing students to consolidate their learning and articulate the value of their preparation and participation.

Standards Alignment:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically so listeners can follow the line of reasoning and that the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. Students should be able to work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making, set clear goals and deadlines, and establish individual roles as needed.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task; adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

*If your school or district references standards other than Common Core for writing, please reach out, and our team can provide the Scrible standard alignment for your set of standards.