Narration: The Voice of the Trivium

by Adrienne Freas

Narration is the ancient practice of retelling a story. The trivium is the ancient mode of teaching the three arts of language. Bringing both of these practices together creates a beautiful and effective pedagogy for classical teachers.

Narration is perhaps the most powerful pedagogy to build cognitive functions for all learning. The book is divided into two parts. Part I focuses on the tradition of narration and the trivium. Part II focuses on the pedagogy of the trivium through the activity of narrating. It is a treasured resource for the busy teacher. It includes rubrics and lists of time-tested tips for teaching and assessing students. The end of the book has a list of discussion questions.

If you are a teacher who wishes to understand the theory and application of these two powerful teaching strategies, this book is for you. By the end of this book, you will not only understand the beauty and musicality of the trivium, but also the practical application of narration as a supreme mode of learning. These two arts together will reignite your love of teaching and your students' love of learning.

133 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2025

Reviews

[Logan Thune · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a solid book on narration that helpfully harmonizes various strands of educational philosophy (e.g., the classical tradition’s emphasis on memory and rhetoric and modes of learning and Charlotte Mason’s emphasis on narration as a key pedagogical tool).