Persuasive Writing and Classical Rhetoric

The following is a review of Persuasive Writing and Classical Rhetoric: Practicing The Habits of Great Writers from Silverdale Press LLC with the TOS Homeschool Review Crew. 

For this review we were provided with a download of Persuasive Writing & Classical Rhetoric: Practicing the Habits of Great Writers. This is a high school level 36-week curriculum.

"Good writing only comes with practice."

Access to this course included a download of four books: The Rhetoric Reader, Rhetoric Workbook, Rhetoric Lesson Book, and Rhetoric Answer Book.

The 31 one to nine page chapters in the reader are each about famous people. The reading passages are speeches. These would mix well with history lessons, too.

The 202 page workbook has 36 lessons each include a four day schedule. The very first week includes a 500 word prompt-based writing assignment on day 4. Most of the workbook questions are fill-in-the-blank; blank lines are even provided for the writing assignments. The workbook pages can be printed which is ideal but can also be read from a screen and answers written in a notebook.

The 65 page Rhetoric Answer Book includes advice about choosing topics that interest your student and encouraging them.

"As a teacher, your most important job is to encourage your students."

"The 36 week lessons are organized and thorough, complete with learning outcomes and a suggested weekly schedule." It is designed to complete four one-hour and fifteen minute lessons each week. A grading scale is also included. Correct grammar and punctuation is expected throughout the writing assignments. Lessons cover habits of great writers, taking notes, logical appeals and deductive reasoning and inductive reasoning, emotional appeals, ethical appeals, style, ornamentation, and more. Vocabulary and history are built into these lessons. The speeches are analyzed in the review questions.

screenshot of Rhetoric Reader p. 5, highlights my own

I love the speeches included in the Rhetoric Reader that demonstrate so clearly our nation's Christian foundation. 

"We are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power...we shall not fight our battles alone."

In addition to these powerful words from Patrick Henry, there are speeches by other authors and leaders, both men and women, to inspire our students as they learn. One speech (that most famous one by Martin Luther King, Jr. did not include the speech, instead a link was provided to find it online. 

Lesson 25 features William Strunk and an excderpt from his book The Elements of Style. I actually ordered that book when it was recommended to me, but the additional features provided in the accompanying lesson: Introduction to Style as well as the workbook add depth to the words beyond just reading them. Learning outcomes (see screenshot below) are provided for each lesson. 

Each lesson also includes a recommended four day schedule with day four devoted to the related writing prompt. The schedule is also included  in the workbook followed by each daily lesson. 

My first interest in the Persuasive Wriring and Classical Rhetoric Curriculum was for my son who is beginning ninth grade. As I began to read out loud, we also found the lessons to be beneficial to his big sister who is prepping for an English CLEP before her first semester of college. 

This curriculum will continue to be used by my son for his 9th grade English credit. I recommend it to any homeschool high school student who wishes to improve their writing skills. 

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