Writing II: Progymnasmata

OFFERED 2026-2027

  • 2026-2027 Time: Thursdays, 2:00-3:30 pm Eastern
  • 2026-2027 Tuition: Seminar with writing tutorial: $95 per month (10 months, August through May)
  • Location: Signal Mountain, Tennessee
  • Grades: 6th – 9th grade strong readers
  • Prerequisites: Writing I: Grammar, or equivalent writing skills; Students are expected to have strong reading, spelling, and grammar skills and to be able to write narrations independently using page numbers as references.
  • Description: This course covers the chreia, refutation/confirmation, commonplace, encomium/vituperation, comparison, thesis, and law levels of the progymnasmata in preparation for the persuasive essay skills of Writing III. Elements of the classical rhetorical structure will be introduced, along with the disputation structure as used by Aquinas.
  • Assessment: Assignments will be based on classic literature, particularly works from or relating to the medieval era, including Shakespeare plays. Students complete readings and daily-work/commonplacing. They also make weekly progress on various written pieces throughout the year. Students continue developing their skills in grammar, vocabulary, and style initially studied in Writing I. In December and May, students present their best papers at Defense Day.
  • POTENTIAL BOOK LIST – FINAL BOOK LIST WILL BE AVAILABLE MIDSUMMER:
    • Gwynne’s Grammar – ISBN: 9781984897961 – Re-use from Writing I if you have taken it
    • Jack Schaefer, Shane
    • Helen A. Guerber, Tales of Norse Mythology, Barnes and Noble Press, ISBN: 978-1435164987 (While there is a paperback version by another publisher, the Barnes and Noble edition is recommended.)
    • Beowulf, Tolkien translation, ISBN: 9780544442788
    • Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, Two Towers, Return of the King, HarperCollins, any edition. We will read the whole thing!
    • Poetry study
      • Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part 1 – Any Folger edition
      • Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part 2 – Any Folger edition
      • Shakespeare’s Henry V – Any Folger edition