Writing & Rhetoric
by Classical Academic Press (website )
A classical writing program utilizing the progymnasmata method to develop student voice through imitation, narration, and creative analysis.
Best Fit For
Students who enjoy storytelling and creative expression but struggle with rigid, dry writing prompts. It is excellent for families following a classical model who want an 'open-and-go' experience.
Not Recommended For
Families looking for a fully independent 'hands-off' curriculum or those seeking a program that integrates heavy technical grammar and mechanics instruction within the writing lessons.
What Reviewers Say
Writing & Rhetoric is widely celebrated for its ability to engage students who find traditional, formulaic writing programs (like IEW) stifling. Reviewers from Cathy Duffy and The Homeschool Mom consistently highlight the program's creative approach, which uses the 'progymnasmata'—a series of classical exercises—to teach writing through fables, myths, and historical tales. Parents report that the 'open-and-go' nature makes it easy to implement, though it requires significant oral discussion between parent and child. A common trade-off noted by the Well-Trained Mind community is the lack of explicit technical grammar instruction, meaning families usually need to supplement with a separate grammar curriculum. While the early levels are gentle and enjoyable, some users find the leap in difficulty in later books to be quite steep.
How It Works
A typical week consists of three to four sessions, each lasting about 30 to 45 minutes, where a parent and child work together through a student workbook and teacher’s manual. Each lesson begins with the parent and child reading a short story—usually a fable or myth—aloud followed by a discussion where the parent asks guided questions to explore the story's logic and moral. The student then completes written exercises such as 'narration,' where they retell the story in their own words, or 'amplification,' where they add descriptive details to a bare-bones plot. Because the program is highly conversational, parents spend most of the session sitting with the child to provide immediate feedback rather than assigning independent busywork.
Switching to This?
Classical Academic Press does not offer a formal placement test, so the standard community recommendation is to start at Book 1 (Fable) for any student in 3rd through 5th grade to ensure they master the foundational imitation techniques. Because each book builds sequentially through the 'progymnasmata'—a specific set of classical stages—skipping early levels can lead to frustration when the difficulty leaps in later books. Families can easily start mid-year at the beginning of any volume, but they should be prepared to supplement with a separate grammar program, as this curriculum focuses almost entirely on composition rather than mechanics. If transitioning from a formula-heavy program like IEW, parents should expect a period of adjustment where the child learns to write without a checklist of required 'dress-ups' or specific sentence starters.
Curriculum Details
- Price
- $26 - $650
- Grades
- 3 - 12
- Available As
- Print Digital Audio Video
- Coverage
- Single subject
- Subjects
- Writing
- Pacing
- Flexible
- Parent Time
- 20-45 min/day
- Parent Involvement
- Minimal
- Student Independence
- Semi-independent
- Academic Level
- Above grade level
- Worldview
- Neutral
- Engaging for Reluctant Learners
- Yes
Student workbooks are typically $26.95 and Teacher Editions are $29.95. Full 12-level bundles or semester bundles range significantly higher.
Videos
Is Writing & Rhetoric Right for Your Homeschool? ✏️ Curriculum Flip-Through + Tips!
by Blessed Homeschool
Reviews We Consulted
Highly recommends this modern adaptation of the ancient progymnasmata for its pedagogical strength in developing both writing and public speaking. It prioritizes working from exemplary models over requiring students to generate their own original ideas.
"The progymnasmata are based on the idea that children should learn how to write by working from exemplary models rather than by dreaming up their own ideas. So students work through models of various forms of writing, beginning with narratives and working up through expository, descriptive, and persuasive writing."
Praises the curriculum's gentle, building-block approach to writing, finding it particularly effective for students who need to ease into lessons through listening and narration rather than being overwhelmed by complex concepts all at once.
"This gentle approach to writing allows my daughter to ease into the lessons through the basic foundations of listening, narration (telling back), and writing her own narratives. It's introduced slowly, concept by concept and building block by building block- and not thrown at her all at once."
Appreciates the curriculum's intellectual depth, noting it requires more significant thinking and annotation than programs for older students; however, the lessons are long, making it difficult to complete more than one book per year.
"Heck, the thinking that was required of her for the discussions and the annotating and the writing was deeper than anything required of my 9th grader this year. The lessons are quite long, as well...that is why we couldn't come close to finishing two books in a year for the first time since beginning the series."
Positioned as a "one of a kind" solution for parents struggling to teach writing, this program uses a four-stage process that transitions from imitating beautiful writing to original composition.
"In the good old days, kids were taught with incremental steps, first by reading and enjoying beautiful writing, then by imitating beautiful writing, then playing with writing to make it their own, and finally, standing on their own two feet with their own original writing."
Finds the program successful for both "natural" and "reluctant" writers because the instruction ramps up gradually, ensuring that students who typically struggle with writing do not feel intimidated by the workload.
"My son... is a very reluctant writer. He's the type of guy who counts every letter during his copywork assignments... [but] the instruction ramped up very gradually, so he was able to learn at a pace that was not intimidating."
Updated: March 2026
How This Compares
Compared to the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW), which uses strict checklists and structural formulas, Writing & Rhetoric focuses on creative imitation, making it a better fit for children who find rigid rules stifling. When weighed against Susan Wise Bauer’s Writing With Ease, this program is often described as more 'fun' and varied, moving away from repetitive dictation toward imaginative tasks like rewriting a story from a different character's perspective. Parents often compare it to Classical Composition, finding Writing & Rhetoric much more approachable and 'open-and-go' for the teacher, whereas Classical Composition can feel academically dense and harder to teach. Unlike Essentials in Writing, which provides video lessons for independent student work, Writing & Rhetoric requires the parent to be an active conversational partner, making it less suitable for families seeking a hands-off approach. Finally, because the program lacks explicit technical grammar instruction, families frequently pair it with a separate program like Well-Ordered Language to ensure their children understand the mechanics of the sentences they are crafting.
Getting Started
Try It Free
Allows parents to preview the introductory book's layout, table of contents, and initial exercises to determine if the style fits their student.
Find Your Level
Provides specific guidance on which book to start with based on a student's age, grade level, and previous writing experience.
See What It Looks Like
A comprehensive look at the progymnasmata methodology used in the series and a summary of the skills covered in each book.
Purchase
The most direct way to purchase combined student and teacher materials for each specific level of the program.
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