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Trivium
The following material is drawn from the essay “The
Lost Tools of Learning” by Dorothy Sayers. It illustrates
the applications of the Trivium (Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric)
we use.
| Beginning Gramar (Pre-Polly) |
GRAMMAR (Poll-Parrot) |
LOGIC (Pert) |
RHETORIC (Poetic) |
| Grades K-2 |
Grades 3-6 |
Grades 7-9 |
Grades 10-12 |
| Approx. ages 4-8 |
Approx. ages 9-11 |
Approx. ages 12-14 |
Approx. ages 15-18 |
| Student Characteristics: |
Student Characteristics: |
Student Characteristics: |
Student Characteristics: |
1. Obviously excited about learning
2. Enjoys games, stories, songs, projects
3. Short attention span
4. Wants to touch, taste, feel, smell, see
5. Imaginative, creative |
1. Excited about new, interesting facts
2. Likes to explain, figure out, talk
3. Wants to relate own experiences to topic, or just to tell a story
4. Likes collections, organizing items
5. Likes chants, clever, repetitious word sounds (e.g. Dr. Seuss)
6. Easily memorizes
7. Can assimilate another language well |
1. Still excitable, but needs challenges
2. Judges, critiques, debates, critical
3. Likes to organize items, others
4. Shows off knowledge
5. Wants to know "behind the scenes" facts
6. Curious about Why? for most things
7. Thinks, acts as though more knowledgeable than adults |
1. Concerned with present events, especially in own life
2. Interested in justice, fairness
3. Moving toward special interests, topics
4. Can take on responsibility, independent work
5. Can do synthesis
6. Desires to express feelings, own ideas
7. Generally idealistic |
| Teaching Methods: |
Teaching Methods: |
Teaching Methods: |
Teaching Methods: |
1. Guide discovering
2. Explore, find things
3. Use lots of tactile items to illustrate point
4. Sing, play games, chant, recite, color, draw, paint, build
5. Use body movements
6. Short, creative projects
7. Show and Tell, drama, hear/read/tell stories
8. Field trips |
1. Lots of hands-on work, projects
2. Field trips, drama
3. Make collections, displays, models
4. Integrate subjects through above means
5. Categorize, classify
6. Recitations, memorizations, catechisms
7. Drills, games
8. Oral/written presentations |
1. Time lines, charts, maps (visual materials)
2. Debates, persuasive reports
3. Drama, reenactments, role-playing
4. Evaluate, critique (with guidelines)
5. Formal logic
6. Research projects
7. Oral/written presentations
8. Guest speakers, trips |
1. Drama, oral presentations
2. Guide research in major areas with goal of synthesis of ideas
3. Many papers, speeches, debates
4. Give responsibilities, e.g. working with younger students, organize
activities
5. In-depth field trips, even overnight
6. World view discussion/written papers |
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