The Lost Tools of Writing: A Classical Rhetoric Curriculum

www.circeinstitute.org

by Michael Leppert

The Lost Tools of Writing (LTW) from the CiRCE Institute is a classical, rhetoric-based writing curriculum, designed primarily for middle and early high school students. Built around the classical trivium’s rhetorical elements of invention (thinking), arrangement, and elocution, it aims to cultivate thoughtful, articulate thinkers who can write with clarity, logical structure, and persuasive force.

This approach develops very strong thinkers, writers and speakers, who can excel in any field that requires a demonstration of the intelligence to think clearly on one’s feet – law, medicine, academia, politics, public speaking, etc.

At its core, LTW breaks writing down into a structured journey, rather than presenting it as a set of disjointed skills. From Level I through Level III, students are guided from foundational persuasive essays up to more advanced forms of argument and deliberative writing, each reinforcing previous lessons and expanding the student’s rhetorical competence.

Philosophical and Pedagogical Foundations

What distinguishes LTW from many mainstream writing curricula is its grounding in classical rhetoric — the ancient art of persuasive communication drawn from Greek and Roman rhetorical traditions. Where many modern approaches focus heavily on grammar drills or creative writing alone, LTW foregrounds thinking as inseparable from writing. Marshall McLuhan, the great media thinker and instructor, defined the content of writing as thought. Echoing a central classical insight, the curriculum teaches that one must first know what one wants to say (logos) before one can say it well.

This philosophical orientation links writing with intellectual discipline: Learning to identify a thesis, consider opposing views, and marshal logical proofs. The persuasive essay, seemingly modest at first, is used as a laboratory for training the mind. By repeatedly engaging in clear, reasoned argumentation, students develop habits of critical thought that carry over into reading, discussion, and decision-making.

Supporters note that this emphasis on thinking —  the craft of invention in classical terms — is LTW’s deepest pedagogical strength.

Structure and Content

The curriculum is organized into multiple levels, each building on the last:

• Level I introduces the foundational skills of writing persuasive essays: Generating ideas, outlining, thesis development, employing schemes and tropes (motifs of real life — “the mad scientist”, “the quarterback”, “the homecoming queen”) and basic logic. Each lesson centers on a short essay assignment that reinforces a particular rhetorical skill.
• Level II expands into judicial rhetoric, refining students’ abilities to analyze evidence and construct logical arguments with deeper nuance.
• Level III focuses on deliberative writing — considering future actions and persuading a community audience. Here, students practice more advanced logical constructs, imaginative thinking, and strategic argumentation.

Across all levels, the curriculum also includes optional supplemental components like Comparison Essays and the Handbook of Types, which provide richer examples and variety in rhetorical forms.

In practice, LTW instruction involves a Teacher’s Guide (with lesson plans and explanations), a Student Workbook (worksheets and templates), and optional instructional videos that model lessons and explain classical terms. ////

Strengths

1. Deep Focus on Thinking Before Writing

LTW’s emphasis on invention — the generation and examination of ideas — is one of its most praised features. By requiring students to wrestle with issues before writing, the curriculum develops critical thinking skills as much as prose techniques. This stands in contrast to approaches that teach writing primarily through pattern imitation or surface-level stylistic devices.

2. Classical Foundations Offer Intellectual Rigor

The curriculum introduces students to a time-tested framework — the canons of rhetoric — rooted in classical education. For learners prepared to engage at this level, the experience can significantly elevate analytical abilities. Many parents and classical educators report that students become more confident and precise in structuring arguments over time.

LTW stresses that every student

3. Transferable Skills

Because LTW focuses on the internal logic of ideas and persuasive communication, the skills learned are transferable across disciplines — history, literature, debate, and daily life. Students don’t just learn to write essays; they practice making clear judgments and articulating them convincingly.

4. Supports Group and Independent Learning

While designed to be adaptable, LTW works well both in homeschool or small classroom settings with group discussion — a context where students benefit from hearing multiple perspectives — and in one-on-one instruction with a parent or teacher.

Comparisons with Other Writing Programs

LTW differs significantly from many mainstream curricula:

• Programs that emphasize structure and stylistic devices first, are countered by LTW’s argument that foundational thinking — figuring out what to say — must come before these other aspects of writing.
• Unlike creative-writing-oriented courses, LTW focuses on analytical rhetoric rather than narrative craft or expressive style, making it especially well–suited to students preparing for academic writing in high school and college.

Conclusion

The Lost Tools of Writing stands out as a powerful classical approach to teaching composition that prioritizes the development of clear thought and articulate expression. For families or educators committed to classical education, willing to invest in teacher preparation, and eager to cultivate analytical writing, LTW offers a deeply formative experience.

For students and teachers ready to embrace its method, LTW’s mindful integration of logic, arrangement, and expression can powerfully elevate both thinking and writing skills — making it more than simply a curriculum, but a tool for lifelong communication. Ω