Flip-the-Pen

Engaging students in writing is big a challenge. A beloved teacher in Texas believes that only when the wind blows from the east will she attempt narrative writing with her year 9 class. 

Finding the right angle of approach, setting the scene, and sparking motivation are the fire-starters for student engagement. Once the words hit the page, busy teacher work begins as you dive into student feedback. What if we flipped the process?

When writing more and faster feedback are the two main drivers of writing improvement, we decided to explore the efficacy of 'flipping the pen'. We really have to stop wearing everyone out.

As a fresh take on established writing and feedback techniques, students are assigned the role of writing advisors for their junior AI companions, coming to them for guidance in improving their text. Each student is responsible for correcting and enhancing a unique text littered with challenges and possible enhancements - all needing their undivided attention and assistance.

How does it work? Teachers set the scene.

Teachers set a writing topic and then decide from a broad selection of writing features, the type of errors and challenges they want students to find, focus and improve on.  This is the geneis of making writing fun again.

• Set the level of Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling errors. Scribo tracks over 20. 
• Focus on sentences types -  challenge could be to join simple sentences. 
• Set the vocabulary level for the text - challenge - find new words.
• Choose topic distractors - challenge is to get back on topic.
• Choose the Genre, Class Level, Cohesion used - challenge is to lift levels 
• Set to EFL or ESL - this sets the level of the text
• and even focus on proficiency exams if you are an upper secondary or language college.

Teachers set levels and design learning through fixing errors and improving someone else's work. 

Scribo creates a unique text per student, as if was their own work, and aligns the text with feedback and a Scribo Score. Each text has multiple issues that can be made obvious through feedback mode or advised but not suggested in Challenge mode.  

In a few minutes, each student in the class has a personalised text they need to fix and improve. If you set the text at 200 words, advise your students they need to help their AI buddy improve and get to 400 words.  You know what to do!

We are opening this up in the last week of May. Let us know here if you would like to try it out! Your students will love focusing on how they can help their AI Buddy rather than suffer the cognitive load of writing by themselves all the time.

Claro - get students into their ZPD 

Claro is the Latin verb for clarity and that is what Claro is all about. Providing clarity of advice.

Writing is a metacognitive skill, one that typically overwhelms many students. When the cognitive load gets too high, student learning shuts down.

Getting students working in their zone of proximal development (ZPD) is the sweet spot for learning. Supporting the space between what a learner can do independently and what they can do with personalized guidance is what Claro is designed for and does so well.

Claro answers questions, guides, supports and encourages but will NEVER write for students.

Claro keeps each student into their ZPD where they are supported in their approach to what they are writing. Learning becomes iterative and supported. Claro advice keeps the writing task challenging but achievable with clear, at-level assistance. 

Want to try Claro? Send us a note here!

Handwriting is back - oh no... oh yay!

There is a handwriting revolution happening across the world. Just as everyone started going digital, Chat GPT started doing everyone's homework, and long format writing.

Students love GPT, teachers want authenticity - back to handwriting we go. ZPD, cognitive load and authenticity all are now challenged from the tip of a pen. Teachers will have to spend more time, students will need more motivation...and possibly learn to write again!

How do we help?

Scribo introduced VISION as a core feature that has been expanding for over 9 months now.

Any teacher in Scribo can use Vision - log in via this web address and install the app on your phone. www.literatu.com/vision 

Log in to manage and upload handwriting with instant grading capabilities. Students also can log in and submit handwritten work and receive feedback.

If you'd like to discuss further, please fill up this form or contact us directly here.

Vision for Workbooks

Vision for Workbooks opens a new world of learning for publishers and teachers, parents and students.

Vision for Workbooks blends paper based assessment with super fast grading and feedback - all delivered via a mobile phone. 

The world is heading back to trusted - analogue assessment modalities. These printed and trusted assessment materials are not integrated into a digital support framework. Vision for Workbooks integrates support for learning with instant feedback and insights. 

Vision for Workbooks blends trusted paper based assessment and practice resources with Scribo AI. The result is beautiful, supportive and seamless for everyone.

If you'd like to discuss further, please fill up this form or contact us directly here.