The article considers the problems of formation of rhetorical thinking in the lessons of Russian language in secondary school with the use of historical component. The conditions of dialogicality of the text as a didactic unit are defined. Different types of students' activities contributing to the development of rhetorical thinking are named. Recommendations on the selection of texts with historical component are given. The author of the article concludes that it is necessary to educate schoolchildren value attitude to the Russian language in the process of its study.