We found The Art of Argument to be very interesting in a variety of ways. The publisher's website said of this study, "Parents and teachers beware--students will use these skills against you!" I found this statement to be quite true!

The study is geared toward ages 11-14, but I thought I would try it with my 9-year-old. Boy, did we have some interesting conversations! This course really opened her eyes (and mine too) to the importance of listening to people and observing things around you. Recognizing subtleties, listening for what people are really trying to say, and getting your point across in a Christ-like manner were just some of the things that we delved into. The course is arranged as conversations between "Socrates" and his American friend "Tiffany." As the conversations played out, you could see the logic involved (or lack thereof). I saw my daughter's logical thinking skills developing right in front of me!

The books themselves are nice--spiral bound and of high quality. The student book has over 100 pages, and the instructor's guide, over 75. The student will master over 40 fallacies. (The social/political nature of some of the sections really made the book stand out to us.) These topics/fallacies were explained in a simple manner, which is helpful for homeschool families who might not have a background in this subject matter. The vocabulary and further research sections were very helpful as well.

The Art of Argument takes logical thinking and breaks it down into bites that can be easily chewed, yet it keeps the learning process interesting and provides a challenge for the student. We plan to use this study for our younger ones, and we'll probably revisit the material with the 9-year-old as well.

Classical Academic Press knows how great this product is. They offer a money back guarantee on it! This is a definite recommendation!

Product review by Lisa Barthuly, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, August 2006