Finally, although Hirsch's emphasis is on the universal principles mentioned above, he does devote several pages on actual teaching methods and their effectiveness. He shows how psycholinguistic and other research findings have affirmed less scientific studies of just which classroom methodologies work and which ones do not. Classical schoolers can benefit from consideration of what bona fide research shows about various teaching methods. Classical homeschool educators, if careful, can also benefit. One thing homeschoolers must be aware of is the nature of research in general and the specific nature of this educational research.
Research can only affirm or negate a hypothesis.
It has many limitations. A working philosophy of education can make use of such research findings if they can be deductively explained. Only in understanding why certain methodologies work might an educator apply such findings and universal principles to their unique situations - afterall there's no such thing as the average student.