One criticism of the current-traditional method was that it concentrated too much on the pragmatic uses of writing. A focus on pragmatism results in either busy work, letter writing, or book reports that are merely summaries of what the student has read. When A Theory of Discourse was published, it challenged this methodology by arguing that writing was a social action that had the ability to create knowledge, instead of simply rehashing current knowledge. By viewing writing as a social action, we no longer see it as a "form of examination" but also as a form of communication in which the audience matters just as much as the writer. By approaching writing with the audience in mind, we see that there is a lot to learn from classical rhetoricians.
Take Aristotle for example. His three rhetorical proofs- ethos, logos, and pathos- all stressed the importance of the audience to which one was speaking. He taught his students how emotion, author credibility, and reason could all be utilized to make a speech more effective. When applied to writing, these proofs can help writers create more sound and persuasive arguments by considering one's audience. Another classical rhetorician we can learn from is Isocrates. He believed in the knowledge-creating ability of rhetoric. While some rhetoricians thought that the common man would never be able to understand philosophy, Isocrates thought that speech was the perfect way to enlighten others. When teaching writing, it is important to emphasize the knowledge-generating capabilities of writing. Otherwise, students may come to view writing as tool used simply for reiterating what their teachers have told them.
I do believe that there is an important link between classical rhetoric and teaching rhetoric today. I feel understanding the basis of classical rhetoric gives students a grounded idea of how they can use words, especially in everyday life. However, I do not agree that such a connection should be focused on at an early stage of learning, more in high school or college levels. The most important techniqes I believe we can pull from classical rhetoric would be the 5 cannons of rhetoric: invention, style, arrangement, memory, and delivery. In my opinnion these are key for speeches and papers. Secondly, I feel we call pull the idea of seeking the Truth from classical rhetoricians. Like mentioned above, not all work has to be business-like and busy work. There is room for creativity and it is all about how you, as a teacher, plan to present and teach the information.
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