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Textbook: The Trivium: The Liberal Arts of Logic, Grammar, and Rhetoric
by Sister Miriam Joseph
Who sets language policy today? Who made whom the grammar doctor? Lacking the equivalent of l'Académie française, we English speakers must find our own way looking for guidance or vindication in source after source. McGuffey's Readers introduced nineteenth-century students to "correct" English. Strunk and White's Elements of Style and William Safire's column, "On Language," provide help on diction and syntax to contemporary writers and speakers. Sister Miriam Joseph's book, The Trivium: The Liberal Arts of Logic, Grammar, and Rhetoric, invites the reader into a deeper understanding—one that includes rules, definitions, and guidelines, but whose ultimate end is to transform the reader into a liberal artist.
A liberal artist seeks the perfection of the human faculties. The liberal artist begins with the language arts, the trivium, which is the basis of all learning because it teaches the tools for reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Thinking underlies all these activities. Many readers will recognize elements of this book: parts of speech, syntax, propositions, syllogisms, enthymemes, logical fallacies, scientific method, figures of speech, rhetorical technique, and poetics. The Trivium, however, presents these elements within a philosophy of language that connects thought, expression, and reality.
"Trivium" means the crossroads where the three branches of language meet. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, students studied and mastered this integrated view of language. Regrettably, modern language teaching keeps the parts without the vision of the whole. Inspired by the possibility of helping students "acquire mastery over the tools of learning," Sister Miriam Joseph and other teachers at Saint Mary's College designed and taught a course on the trivium for all first-year students. The Trivium resulted from that noble endeavor.
The liberal artist travels in good company. Sister Miriam Joseph frequently cites passages from William Shakespeare, John Milton, Plato, the Bible, Homer, and other great writers. The Paul Dry Books edition of The Trivium provides new graphics and notes to make the book accessible to today's readers. Sister Miriam Joseph told her first audience that "the function of the trivium is the training of the mind for the study of matter and spirit, which constitute the sum of reality. The fruit of education is culture, which Mathew Arnold defined as 'the knowledge of ourselves and the world.'" May this noble endeavor lead many to that end.
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Lesson Plan for the Trivium
Course Title: Introduction to the Trivium: Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric
Course Objective: To enable students to understand the basic principles of the Trivium and apply them effectively in various contexts of communication, critical thinking, and persuasion.
Course Duration: 8 Weeks
Week 1: Introduction to the Trivium
Lesson 1: The History and Importance of the Trivium
Lesson 2: Overview of Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric
Assignment 1: Reflect on your prior knowledge and experience with the Trivium
Week 2: Grammar – The Art of Language
Lesson 3: The structure of language: words, phrases, clauses, and sentences
Lesson 4: Parts of speech and their functions
Lesson 5: Sentence structure and types of sentences
Assignment 2: Identify and correct grammatical errors in a given text
Week 3: Logic – The Art of Reasoning
Lesson 6: Introduction to Logic: deductive and inductive reasoning
Lesson 7: Logical Fallacies and common mistakes in Reasoning
Lesson 8: Syllogisms and categorical propositions
Assignment 3: Analyze a given argument for logical soundness and validity
Week 4: Rhetoric – The Art of Persuasion
Lesson 9: Introduction to Rhetoric: ethos, pathos, and Logos
Lesson 10: Rhetorical Devices and Figures of Speech
Lesson 11: The structure of an effective argument
Assignment 4: Create a persuasive argument on a topic of your choice
Week 5: Combining Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric
Lesson 12: Integrating the Trivium for effective communication
Lesson 13: Analyzing texts using the Trivium
Assignment 5: Analyze a speech or essay using the Trivium
Week 6: Practical Applications of the Trivium
Lesson 14: The Trivium in academic writing
Lesson 15: The Trivium in public speaking and Debate
Assignment 6: Write an essay or prepare a speech using the principles of the Trivium
Week 7: Critiquing and Evaluating Arguments
Lesson 16: Developing critical thinking skills
Lesson 17: Evaluating arguments and Counterarguments
Assignment 7: Critique a given argument using the Trivium
Week 8: Conclusion and Reflection
Lesson 18: Review of the Trivium and its applications
Lesson 19: Personal Growth and development through the Trivium
Assignment 8: Reflect on your learning experience and personal growth throughout the course
Recommended Resources:
"The Trivium: The Liberal Arts of Logic, Grammar, and Rhetoric" by Sister Miriam Joseph
"The Art of Rhetoric" by Aristotle
"The Elements of Eloquence" by Mark Forsyth
"A Rulebook for Arguments" by Anthony Weston
Assessment:Assignments (8 written) – 80%
Final reflection essay – 20%
No multiple-choice tests
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Lesson Details for Learning the Trivium
Lesson 1: The history and importance of the Trivium
Introduction to the concept of the Trivium
The origins of the Trivium in ancient Greece and Rome
The role of the Trivium in medieval education and the liberal arts
The relevance of the Trivium in today's world
Lesson 2: Overview of Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric
Definition and purpose of Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric
The relationship between the three components of the Trivium
Brief overview of key concepts in each component
Lesson 3: The structure of language: words, phrases, clauses, and sentences
The building blocks of language
Understanding words, phrases, clauses, and sentences
The hierarchy of language structure
Lesson 4: Parts of speech and their functions
The eight parts of speech: noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjectionThe role and function of each part of speech in a sentence
Examples and practice exercises
Lesson 5: Sentence structure and types of sentences
Simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences
The role of punctuation in sentence structure
Identifying and constructing different types of sentences
Lesson 6: Introduction to logic: deductive and inductive reasoning
Defining logic and its importance
The difference between deductive and inductive reasoning
Examples and practice exercises for each type of reasoning
Lesson 7: Logical fallacies and common mistakes in reasoning
Definition and types of logical fallacies
Examples of common logical fallacies
Strategies for identifying and avoiding fallacies in reasoning
Lesson 8: Syllogisms and categorical propositions
Introduction to syllogisms and their structure
Categorical propositions: understanding the four types (A, E, I, and O)
Creating and evaluating valid syllogisms
Lesson 9: Introduction to rhetoric: ethos, pathos, and logos
The definition and purpose of rhetoric
The three pillars of rhetoric: ethos, pathos, and logos
The role of each pillar in constructing a persuasive argument
Lesson 10: Rhetorical devices and figures of speech
Common rhetorical devices: repetition, parallelism, analogy, etc.
Figures of speech: metaphor, simile, personification, etc.
How to effectively use rhetorical devices and figures of speech in persuasion
Lesson 11: The structure of an effective argument
Organizing an argument: introduction, thesis statement, body, and conclusion
Establishing and supporting claims with evidence
Addressing counterarguments and refutations
Lesson 12: Integrating the Trivium for effective communication
Combining Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric for clear and persuasive communication
Examples of the Trivium in action
Practice exercises to integrate the Trivium
Lesson 13: Analyzing texts using the Trivium
Applying the Trivium to evaluate texts for clarity, logical soundness, and persuasiveness
Practice with excerpts from speeches, essays, and other texts
Developing skills for critical analysis
Lesson 14: The Trivium in academic writing
The role of the Trivium in research papers, essays, and dissertations
Integrating Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric for effective academic writing
Examples and practice exercises for academic writing
Lesson 15: The Trivium in public speaking and debate
The importance of the Trivium in crafting speeches and engaging in debates
Strategies for using the Trivium in different public
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Other suggested resources:
"A Rulebook for Arguments" by Anthony Weston
"How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading" by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren
"The Rhetoric of Fiction" by Wayne C. Booth
"The Lost Tools of Learning" by Dorothy Sayers
"The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had" by Susan Wise Bauer
"Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation" by Lynne Truss
"Critical Thinking: A Concise Guide" by Tracy Bowell and Gary Kemp
"Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion" by Jay Heinrichs
"The Fallacy Detective: Thirty-Eight Lessons on How to Recognize Bad Reasoning" by Nathaniel Bluedorn and Hans Bluedorn
"The Craft of Research" by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams
"Writing with Style: Conversations on the Art of Writing" by John R. Trimble
"They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing" by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein
"The Rhetoric of Fiction" by Wayne C. Booth
"Sophistical Rhetoric in Classical Greece" by G. E. M. de Ste. Croix
"Rhetoric in the European Tradition" by Thomas M. Conley
"An Introduction to Traditional Logic: Classical Reasoning for Contemporary Minds" by Scott M. Sullivan
"The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language" by Rodney Huddleston and Geoffrey K. Pullum
"Rhetoric, Logic, and Argumentation: A Guide for Student Writers" by M. Jimmie Killingsworth and Michael K. Middleton
"Elements of Style" by William Strunk and E.B. White