The author's approach to the technology of “meaning essay” is proposed as a method of initiating the meaning formation of students; the author's interpretation of the term "meaning essay" is given. The authors emphasize the importance of methods and technologies for meaning formation as effective meaning techniques used in the conditions of transformation of education during the transition to the official distance learning. Among the typical disadvantages of “distance education” are discussed the following ones: changes in the form of interaction between teacher and student, decrease of the emotional contact and loss of the emotional connection, transition from the "real" communication - to "virtual" communication via the Internet communications. An "essay" technology is considered from the position of meaning formation. Also the possibilities of a meaning essay as a meaning technique for lessons of the social and humanitarian subjects are shown. A theoretical comparative analysis of the "essays" and "compositions" is carried out. The following mechanisms of initiating the formation of students' meanings are shown: through involvement into the dialogue, actualization of personal meanings and empathy, the comprehension of socialized meanings through awareness and understanding of attitudes, contradictions, values and emotional codes. The article presents the analysis of the value orientations according to the method of M. Rokeach and the content analysis of the semantic sphere of the schoolchildren of two age groups: 12-13 and 16-17 years old. The empirical work carried out allows to form possible themes of the "meaning essays" in relation to social studies lessons for the students of the secondary schools 12-13 years old (the seventh grade).