The Benefits of Studying Classical Rhetoric in your Homeschool

This post has been sponsored by Silverdale Press. All ideas and information about the benefits of studying classical rhetoric in your homeschool are all mine and are based on personal experience.

With one student in college, I can fully attest to the fact that our homeschool students need practice in public speaking and persuasive writing, if for no other reason than success in the college academia. However, I think you and I both know that these skills are an incredible benefit to persons long term whether in the workforce, in church board meetings, or in arguments with their teens twenty years from now.

As a people, we need to be able to communicate effectively. When we communicate, we represent ourself, our family, our homeschool, our community, our team, and as Christians, we represent our Savior.

Classical rhetoric is the study of intentional communication. Intentional conversation, intentional group interactions, intentional public speaking. intentional written communication. My son ( a junior) has been studying classical rhetoric this year and I would like to share with you some of the benefits I have witnessed.

Studying Classical Rhetoric Improves the Ability to Speak Persuasively.

Have you ever really needed to prove your point, and struggled to find the words? Practice in classical rhetoric is practice in the art of persuasion. Whether your student needs to convince his professor that he knows what he is talking about, or he needs to convince fellow club members of a right course of action – he needs to be persuasive.

Studying Classical Rhetoric Protects Us from Manipulation.

Recognizing fallacies in logic and standard tactics of manipulation through speech will protect your student from being manipulated by peers, by professors, by co-workers and bosses, marketing (commercials) and even by politicians! A student well-trained in classical rhetoric will recognize fallacies,  faulty logic, and even truth and he will therefore be able to make wise decisions, whether this includes committee decisions, relational decisions, purchase decisions or voting decisions.

Studying Classical Rhetoric Provides you with Tools to Speak Effectively.

Studying the speaking techniques of classical rhetoric gives your student a toolbox of sorts to pull from as he prepares public speeches and presentations, enters into debates, or speaks off the cuff to toast someone at a wedding or formal event. If always able to represent himself well with the spoken word, your student will be more likely to protect his own reputation, inspire others, and achieve success in his endeavors.

Studying Classical Rhetoric Teaches us to Analyze as we Listen Closely.

With greater awareness of techniques used in conversation, we will listen more closely to the conversations we engage in and analyze more carefully what others are saying, how it is said, and how we respond. This makes us more careful and intentional in conversation both as listeners and speakers. The ability to listen carefully and respond carefully is as valuable in interpersonal relationships as it is in work situations.

Silverdale has a brand new curriculum titled Persuasive Writing and Classical Rhetoric.This curriculum for high school students provides an opportunity for students to study great speeches each week as they learn to choose a topic, research the topic, write and revise a persuasive essay weekly, use ornamentation and proper grammar and style in the essay. In the end students are even encouraged to submit an article for publication consideration!

Persuasive Writing and Classical Rhetoric includes a Lesson Book (235 pages), a Workbook (consumable, 202 pages), a Reader (111 pages), and an Answer Key (68 pages). It is available in print or in digital format for printing as needed at home.

Can your students communicate effectively?