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How to Choose the BEST Homeschool Middle and High School Language Arts Curriculum & Options

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How to choose the best homeschool middle and high school language arts curriculum can be intimidating unless you have a road map. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school and how to homeschool high school page for more fun tips

Knowing the elements of language arts is important; knowing that not every teen needs the same amount of instruction for each component is equally important.

Using free language arts curriculum before you make a purchase can be especially helpful for many reasons:

  • Budget friendly curriculum allows you to assess problem areas in greater detail without busting the budget;
  • A free curriculum can be used as a reference alongside a purchased curriculum;
  • Your teen may need review in just a couple of areas and you can save your hard earned dollars to buy language arts where he requires in-depth focus or help;
  • Returning to free curriculum resources throughout the middle and high school years helps your teen review quickly; and
  • Let’s face it. Teen curriculum resources can be pricey, so having many options at your fingertips helps.

Homeschool Middle and High School Language Arts

Let’s start with a language arts road map.

Step one is knowing the language arts components.

Step 1. Identify the Language Arts Components.

The easiest, but most useful definition is that English language arts is any subject to do with written or oral communication, including listening.

Right away you can see that some things are not formally taught or don’t have to be taught in isolation.

For example, from the time your teen was a toddler, you started speaking to him in full sentences.

He learned your language through the art of conversation and discussion. That part still continues in the teen years.

Too, especially at the middle and high school years, teens need to make sense out of what they have been learning.

Combining language arts elements makes language arts practical and gives teens a reason to understand it.

For example, grammar can be revised or used while a teen writes an essay.

Next, let’s dive into the subject breakdown of what is language arts so you know that you’re covering it and that you choose the subjects your teen needs.

Language arts includes all facets of English: phonics, reading/literature, spelling/vocabulary, grammar, composition, and penmanship. In addition, it includes oral speech.

By this age your child has probably learned to read and write.

So penmanship turns to composition and reading becomes literature. Phonics is now spelling.

Step 2. Isolate the Language Arts Components Needed for Middle and High School Teens.

To help clarify this even further, here are the language art subjects for middle and high school grades.

  • Literature which is reading and could include literary analysis
  • Grammar
  • Spelling (if still needed)
  • Vocabulary
  • Composition

These subjects are the ones that most language arts all-in-one programs cover.

Next, now that you know the subjects that fall under the language arts umbrella, look at some of these homeschool language arts curriculum for middle and high school kids.

Step 3. Choose the EXACT Components Your Teen Needs OR Choose an All-in-One Curriculum.

Before you choose language arts, pay attention to the details to see if it’s an all-in-one program which covers most of the subjects for language arts OR if it’s just one component.

I have organized the elements for you so you can quickly see the choices for your child.

Grammar Homeschool Curriculum For Teens

Too, some of the resources can be used as a guidebook to assist your teen in his writing.

The first one I’m diving into is grammar. Grammar is the rules of a language.

Your teen has learned some of the rules naturally, so some of these resources can be used as a reference.

Other resources can be used as separate curriculum to shore up any weakness

Look at this list of homeschool grammar curriculum.

Although I feel grammar is best covered in conjunction with writing so a teen sees the value, there are some teens who need grammar in isolation.

Before looking next at the composition options, keep a few key points in mind. If a teen is struggling with penmanship remember that he can type his essays.

More Homeschooling in Middle School Resources

Try to not make composition always about penmanship. Yes, it’s about doing neat work, but that is for the final draft.

Composition is about learning how to compose his thoughts. So if you have a teen struggling in both penmanship and composition, focus on one or the other until he gets more practice.

Go gentle in what you require of him if he is struggling.

Composition Homeschool Curriculum For Teens

Now, look at some of the composition choices.

Literature Homeschool Curriculum For Teens

You would think it would be easier to choose an all in one program which covered a bit of most of the components of language arts. It may or may not be.

The problem at this level is that most providers are assuming that your teen has had a fair amount of each component of language arts.

If you’ve switched homeschool approaches or resources, like most of us have, then you want to be sure you’re clear on what is the focus of the all-in-one language arts curriculum.

For example, it’s been my experience that curriculum may focus more on composition, while another one covers more literary analysis.

While yet another resource may focus heavily on grammar.

All-In-One Language Arts Homeschool Curriculum for Teens

So the important point I’m making is look over the scope and sequence so that you make a good fit for your teen.

Next, look at the options for all-in-one language arts programs.

Step 4. Combine Many Components of Language Arts for Lasting Benefits.

Finally, the most important benefit of teaching language arts to our teens is so that it sticks with them. Understanding the mechanics of the English languages connects our teens to great minds of the past.

In addition, teaching valuable thinking skills is an important part of communication whether verbal or written.

For language arts to have lasting benefit and to teach thinking skills, combining the components of language arts is a superior way to teach.

When a teen works with a piece of literature, he focuses on grammar, writing, vocabulary, and spelling to name a few.

We want our teens to have a solid foundation for language arts whether he chooses a career track or college track.

More Homeschool Middle and High School Language Arts

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