Do you have a favorite homeschool subject your love to teach and share with your children? I do, and it's language arts!
When I say language arts, I am referring to everything related to reading, writing, grammar, speaking, and listening. I love words. I love to write and to read. (My family will also tell you that I also love to TALK.)
Language arts was my favorite subject throughout my school years, and I actually majored in Professional Writing in college. Reading and writing are two of my favorite things.
My husband and I read to our kids from the time they were infants. Trips to the library were a weekly occurrence (often more). Paper and art supplies to make their own books and posters and projects were always available.
But what if you don't love language arts, or it isn't your strength? How do you make language arts fun and engaging?
There are lots of ways you can do this, and it depends on your child's age, your goals, and your time, and perhaps your state's requirements. I'm sharing some of our favorite language arts resources below that can work for a wide variety of ages and stages.
8 Resources for Homeschooling Language Arts
Here's the truth: I am NOT a fun homeschooling mom. I mean, I've tried, but, it's just not my strong suit. Celebrate a Book gathers ALL the amazing and creative ideas you need to celebrate a variety of books. It's all planned out for you with tips, links, and more!
Once you finish your book, you can celebrate with games, decorations, food, and family or your book club. It's simple! Just choose from Mary's list of books and then purchase the guide. She even has a FREE guide available and a FREE book planning guide.
Reading literature is an important part of homeschooling. That said, it can get boring just giving out reading assignments with dry comprehension questions or same-old-same-old book reports. Enter: Literary Adventures for Kids! This program has courses geared for young ones all the way up through high school age.
The online platform is easy-to-use and engages the reader with rabbit trails, activities, discussion questions, and an option to throw a book-theme party at the end. You can do these courses as a family or a group. We've personally used several classes and I love all the topics covered beyond just reading the book.
Looking for an engaging book to teach grammar? Check out The Language Theater! The whimsical drawings and easy-to-follow descriptions are great for kids who need catchy graphics and simple, to-the-point explanations.
The book uses a play as a metaphor and each part of speech is an "actor" playing their role. I love the lessons included at the end of each chapter. This book is geared for middle grades.
If you're looking for an all-in-one easy to implement writing program, WriteShop fits the bill. I admit I was hesitant to use it at first because I'm not great at following directions or curricula for longer than, let's say, four days.
I really needed something that I could do with BOTH twins. They are at different levels when it comes to writing but I didn't want to juggle multiple programs/classes/writing projects.
The teacher's guide is easy to follow and the assignments build off each other. I can still be flexible with the assignments and take our time if needed. The website has a placement test, scope and sequence, and samples too. Be sure to take advantage of their freebies, including the monthly writing prompts.
We started using Daily Grams years ago after a friend gifted me the second-grade workbook for my oldest son. It is meant to be done alongside the Easy Grammar systems, but we used Daily Grams as a stand-alone product, and I supplemented with videos, songs, and other language arts-related activities. My oldest teen still uses this program and it's great for review and keeping grammar skills fresh.
- Spectrum workbooks (affiliate link)
Listen, sometimes you just need a basic workbook to get stuff done. No shame, friend!
We grabbed a couple of Spectrum Language Arts workbooks last winter when my twins had finished up their Daily Grams books and wanted to try something different. They do several pages a week, sometimes on their own, and sometimes with me.
These explanations are straightforward and each activity has examples. There are answers in the back that help us review too. They are affordable and a perfect supplement.
This online writing program is new on the scene. I saw a friend using it and was immediately interested (as I am always looking for fun and creative ways to boost my kids' interest in creative writing). According to their website, their mission "is to help you reach your potential as a storyteller through access to interactive courses and tools, kind, constructive peers, and professional writer-educators." I love the Story Spinner feature and all the writing templates and prompts.
This is a fun website with catchy songs, videos, and more. We grabbed a lifelong subscription years ago, and my kids STILL sing the songs. It teaches the eight parts of speech including nouns, pronouns, verbs, and injections. You can try out the nouns lesson for free on their website!
Language arts doesn't need to be dry and boring with pages and pages of sentence diagramming (unless you love that, then go for it). Creating a love of words, reading, communication, and writing is a vital part of homeschooling.
Thanks you gave me some great info and ideas