Writing & Rhetoric

Writing & Rhetoric by Classical Academic Press is a classical writing program that teaches students the art of writing and rhetoric through the ancient progymnasmata (progym) exercises. Rather than starting with a blank page, students learn by imitating masterful writing from great literature, a proven method used for centuries.

This step-by-step apprenticeship approach builds strong writers by progressing from simple retelling and narration to more advanced skills such as comparison, persuasion, and defense.

Key Curriculum Features:

• Imitation-based learning using high-quality literary models
• Progressive progymnasmata exercises that develop rhetoric skills
• Daily lessons including narration, discussion, comprehension, and writing practice
• Copywork, dictation, sentence play, amplification, and other classical techniques
• Strong emphasis on oral presentation and speaking skills
• Low teacher prep with clear, engaging lessons

Program Components:

• Student Books: Contain instruction, models, examples, and writing space
• Teacher Books: Identical student pages with added teaching notes, answers, talking points, and extra guidance
• Optional Audio Files: Professional readings of the source material (fables, myths, historical narratives, etc.)

Each book provides one semester of writing instruction. The series is ideally started in 3rd or 4th grade and completed by 8th grade, but it can be entered at higher levels with proper placement. It works very well when alternated with a grammar program.

Writing & Rhetoric curriculum stands out for its classical methodology, excellent literary models, and user-friendly design. It is an outstanding choice for classical homeschoolers seeking a rigorous yet approachable writing and rhetoric curriculum.

Browse all Writing & Rhetoric levels and sets below!