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Language Arts CurriculumLanguage Arts Resources

The goal of all language arts is clear communication.

It's also one of two main required subject areas (along with math) in state standardized testing. A knowledge of language arts is required to drive a car, order from a menu, be understood, read subtitles on foreign films, pray, and most other useful activity known to humankind. Language is one of the primary ingredients for successful human culture and civilization.

Yet we at Exodus Books talk to parents every day who are unclear exactly what constitutes language arts, how to teach them, if composition is as important as reading, etc. They might think terms like English, composition and reading are interchangeable. Or they teach a single element of language arts (like vocabulary) and are confused when their kids score poorly on a grammar test. Or....or....or....

But what ARE the "Language Arts"?

The term Language Arts refers to the tools needed to read, write, speak, and understand a given language. Yes, it's a broad definition. But it also means the collective language arts are all interrelated, and that should actually be a cause for relief rather than fear.

Because of this interrelatedness, splitting the various topics into stand-alone subjects is nearly impossible. At the same time, all kids have strengths and weaknesses, so you can apply focus and de-emphasis where needed. Topics that fall under the LA umbrella include (but aren't limited to) phonics, penmanship/handwriting, reading comprehension, listening skills (dictation), spelling and vocabulary, grammar, composition, research skills, speech, rhetoric, and more.

Does that mean you have to find a single program that covers all this territory? By no means. There aren't many "total language arts" programs available, and fewer still that live up to that promise. So does that mean you have to find curricula for each topic, and then somehow manage to correlate everything into a unified whole for your kiddos? Well....yeah, kinda.

A goal a day keeps the headaches away (and CSD, and bad grades, etc.)

Yes, this sounds like a lot. Be assured: it doesn't just sound like a lot, it is a lot. That's why you set and keep goals. You don't have to teach ten language arts topics a day. Most of the skills represent means, not ends. The end of language arts study is the acquisition of good communication skills; the means to that acquisition include phonics, spelling, composition, and so on.

Phonics is a means to deciphering words; grammar provides the rules for clear writing; a large vocabulary increases a student's ability to understand and relay information effectively. Don't forget the big picture: language arts translates directly into communication skills. If your student is steadily acquiring the tools needed to communicate well, you're on the right track. If not, set some goals.

Well, set some goals even if you're on the right track. Does your child understand the rules of grammar but still can't spell? Devote extra time to spelling and vocabulary. Are there gaps in her knowledge of sentence-construction? Focus on composition for awhile. Does he excel at each of the language arts? Press him further and have him study rhetoric.

Don't tie yourself to one program; keep your kids' abilities and learning styles in mind, and find coursework that caters specifically to their needs as well as your own. Remember that there is a progression within the language arts spectrum, that phonics precedes reading, spelling precedes vocabulary building, grammar and composition precedes writing the next Pulitzer Prize-winner.

Keep the short- and long-term goals in mind at every stage so you don't get bogged down in unnecessary details or try to get all the way to home plate when you haven't even rounded second. Why teach phonics? So kids can learn to read. Why teach kids how to spell? So they can be understood through writing. All language arts instruction boils down to the desire to form good communicators.

Our advice, for what it's worth...

Finding what works for your children will take effort. There are several learning styles, and gajillions of teaching philosophies. Not all of them work; not all programs stay consistent in their approach; not every child responds negatively to straight-up instruction vs. colorful pictures and hands-on activities. Our product reviews are intended to help you navigate the many options, but ultimately the decisions are yours to make.

Just below you'll see the main topics included under the "Language Arts" umbrella. We've tried to group them in difficulty order (phonics first, rhetoric last) to help you understand where your student currently stands. And though we've said it a thousand times already, never ever forget that teaching spelling isn't about teaching spelling—it's about equipping students to be the kinds of people who can express, understand and exchange ideas (from "Clear the table!" to "I doubt, therefore I am.") with a high degree of grace and proficiency.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur.Read more of his reviews here.

 

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104 Items found Print
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Active Filters: 11th grade (Ages 16-17), In-Stock Books & Materials
Advanced Academic Writing I - Set
Writing Strand Level 5
by Michael Clay Thompson
3rd edition from Royal Fireworks Press
for 7th-12th grade
in Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts (Location: GRA-MCT)
$57.00 (1 in stock)
Advanced Academic Writing II - Set
Writing Strand Level 6
by Michael Clay Thompson
3rd edition from Royal Fireworks Press
for 8th-12th grade
in Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts (Location: GRA-MCT)
$57.00 (1 in stock)
Alphabet Makers
by Hyatt Moore
from Wycliffe Bible Translators
for 8th-Adult
in History of Books & Language (Location: HISV-BOOK)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
American Heritage Dictionary
by Houghton Mifflin Company
5th edition from Dell Publishing
for 7th-Adult
in Dictionaries (Location: REF-DIC)
$9.34
Animal Farm
Signet Classics
by George Orwell
from Signet Classics
Utopian/Dystopian Literature for 9th-Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$10.20
Around the World in Eighty Days
by Jules Verne, George M. Towle (Translator)
from Bantam Books
for 7th-Adult
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
$5.94
Art of Fiction
by John Gardner
from Vintage Classics
for 9th-Adult
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$12.71 $9.00 (1 in stock)
Blended Structure and Style in Composition
by James B. Webster
2nd edition from Institute for Excellence in Writing
Writing Curriculum for 2nd-12th grade
in IEW Resources (Location: WRI-IEWRES)
$35.00
Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
by Jane Straus with Lester Kaufman & Tom Stern
11th edition from Jossey-Bass
for 6th-Adult
$13.56 $8.00 (1 in stock)
Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
by Lester Kaufman and Jane Straus
12th edition from Jossey-Bass
for 6th-Adult
in Grammar Reference (Location: REF-GRA)
$20.00
Caught'ya!
by Jane Bell Kiester
3rd edition from Maupin House Publishing
for 7th-12th grade
in Grammar Reference (Location: REF-GRA)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Complete Rhyming Dictionary
from Dell Publishing
for 1st-Adult
in Dictionaries (Location: REF-DIC)
$8.99
Concise Roget's International Thesaurus
by Barbara Ann Kipfer
7th edition from HarperTrophy
for 7th-12th grade
in Thesauruses (Location: REF-THES)
$6.79
Dictionary of Latin and Greek Origins
by Bob Moore and Maxine Moore
from Barnes & Noble
for 8th-Adult
in Dictionaries (Location: REF-DIC)
$6.40 (1 in stock)
Eats, Shoots & Leaves
by Lynne Truss
from Gotham Books
Grammar Reference for 9th-Adult
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$9.35 $5.00 (2 in stock)
Elements of Style
by William Strunk & E. B. White
4th edition from Allyn and Bacon
Writing Handbook for 9th-12th grade
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$8.49
Elements of Style (Illustrated)
by E.B. White, William Strunk Jr.
from Penguin Books
for 7th-Adult
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$15.30
Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters
by Mark Dunn
Reprint from Anchor Books
for 8th-Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$12.71
English 11 - Parent Guide/Student Daily Lessons
from A Beka Books
for 11th grade
in A Beka Grammar & Writing (Location: GRA-ABK)
$10.20 (2 in stock)
Essential Literary Terms
1st edition from W. W. Norton and Co.
for 9th-Adult
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$6.00 (2 in stock)
Excellence in Literature - Handbook for Writers
by Ian Johnston and Janice Campbell
1st edition from Everyday Education
for 9th-12th grade
in IEW Literature & Poetry (Location: LITCUR-IEW)
$20.00 (1 in stock)
Fog Trilogy and Parent Manual - Set
Literature Strand Level 6
by Michael Clay Thompson
from Royal Fireworks Press
for 5th-12th grade
in Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts (Location: GRA-MCT)
$35.00 (1 in stock)
Giggly Guide to Grammar
by Cathy Campbell
for 7th-12th grade
in Grammar Reference (Location: REF-GRA)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Handbook of Grammar & Composition
by James A. Chapman
5th edition from A Beka Books
for 11th-12th grade
in A Beka Grammar & Writing (Location: GRA-ABK)
$17.00 (1 in stock)
Hidden Secrets to Language Success - DVD
by Wanda Sanseri
from Back Home Industries
for 11th-Adult
in Spell to Write and Read (Location: PHO-SWR)
$17.00 (2 in stock)
How to Develop a Brilliant Memory Week by Week
by Dominic O'Brien
from Duncan Baird
for 9th-Adult
in Research & Study Skills (Location: REF-STUDY)
$11.01
How To Write a News Article
by Michael Kronewetter
from Grolier Publishing
for 10th-Adult
in Clearance: English & Language Arts (Location: ZCLE-LAN)
$2.00 (2 in stock)
How to Write Irresistible Query Letters
by Lisa Collier Cool
from Writer's Digest
for 9th-12th grade
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$11.01
Jane Eyre - TLP Guide
Total Language Plus Literature Guides
from Total Language Plus
for 11th-12th Grade
in Total Language Plus Guides (Location: LITSG-TLP)
$18.66
Jensen's Format Writing
by Frode Jensen
2nd edition from Master Books
Writing Curriculum for 7th-12th grade
in Jensen's English (Location: GRA-JENSEN)
$22.39
Jensen's Format Writing - DVD Supplement
by Frode Jensen
3rd edition from Master Books
Writing Curriculum for 7th-12th grade
in Jensen's English (Location: GRA-JENSEN)
$20.00 $15.00 (2 in stock)
Jensen's Grammar
by Frode Jensen
from Master Books
for 7th-12th grade
in Jensen's English (Location: GRA-JENSEN)
$28.79
Jensen's Grammar - DVD Supplement
by Frode Jensen
from Master Books
for 7th-12th grade
in Jensen's English (Location: GRA-JENSEN)
$26.40 $20.00 (1 in stock)
King Alfred's English
by Laurie J. White
from Shorter Word Press
for 7th-12th grade
in History of Books & Language (Location: HISV-BOOK)
$13.26
Learn to Remember
by Dominic O'Brien
from Chronicle Books
for 10th-Adult
in Research & Study Skills (Location: REF-STUDY)
$6.40 (1 in stock)
Learning Language Arts Through Literature - American Literature (old)
by Debbie Strayer
3rd edition from Common Sense Press
for 9th-12th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
$28.90
Learning Language Arts Through Literature - British Literature (old)
by Debbie Strayer & Tim Nichols
3rd edition from Common Sense Press
for 9th-12th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
$28.90 $15.00 (1 in stock)
Learning Language Arts Through Literature - World Literature Anthology
by Debbie Strayer & Tim Nichols
3rd edition from Common Sense Press
for 9th-12th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
in Clearance: English & Language Arts (Location: ZCLE-LAN)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Life of Fred Language Arts Series: Australia
by Stanley F. Schmidt, Ph.D.
from Polka Dot Publishing
for 6th-12th grade
in Life of Fred Language Arts Series (Location: GRA-FRED)
$20.40
Life of Fred Language Arts Series: Begin Teaching
by Stanley F. Schmidt, Ph.D.
from Polka Dot Publishing
for 6th-12th grade
in Life of Fred Language Arts Series (Location: GRA-FRED)
$20.40
Life of Fred Language Arts Series: Classes
by Stanley F. Schmidt, Ph.D.
from Polka Dot Publishing
for 6th-12th grade
in Life of Fred Language Arts Series (Location: GRA-FRED)
$20.40
Life of Fred Language Arts Series: Dreams
by Stanley F. Schmidt, Ph.D.
from Polka Dot Publishing
for 6th-12th grade
in Life of Fred Language Arts Series (Location: GRA-FRED)
$20.40
Lifepac: Language Arts 11 - Book 1
from Alpha Omega Publications
in AOP Lifepacs: Language Arts (Location: CLE-LIFEPAC)
$11.50 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Lifepac: Language Arts 11 - Book 10
from Alpha Omega Publications
in AOP Lifepacs: Language Arts (Location: CLE-LIFEPAC)
$11.50 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Lifepac: Language Arts 11 - Book 2
from Alpha Omega Publications
in AOP Lifepacs: Language Arts (Location: CLE-LIFEPAC)
$11.50
Lifepac: Language Arts 11 - Book 3
from Alpha Omega Publications
in AOP Lifepacs: Language Arts (Location: CLE-LIFEPAC)
$11.50 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Lively Art of Writing
by Lucile Vaughan Payne
from Mentor Books
Writing Reference for 10th-Adult
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$8.49 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Macmillan Visual Desk Reference
from Macmillan
for 10th-Adult
in Encyclopedias (Location: REF-ENC)
$6.40 (1 in stock)
Magic Lens II - Set
Grammar Strand Level 6
by Michael Clay Thompson
6th edition from Royal Fireworks Press
for 8th-12th grade
in Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts (Location: GRA-MCT)
$58.00 (1 in stock)
Meaning of Everything
by Simon Winchester
Reprint from Oxford University
for 10th-Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Memory Mechanics
by Gary DeMar
from American Vision Press
for 9th grade-adult
in Research & Study Skills (Location: REF-STUDY)
$4.80 (1 in stock)
Merriam-Webster Collegiate Thesaurus
2nd Ed from Merriam-Webster
for 9th-Adult
in Thesauruses (Location: REF-THES)
$19.51
Merriam-Webster Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms
from Merriam-Webster
for 9th-Adult
in Thesauruses (Location: REF-THES)
$5.94
Merriam-Webster Thesaurus
New from Merriam-Webster
for 9th-Adult
in Thesauruses (Location: REF-THES)
$7.23
Merriam-Webster Thesaurus OSI
from Merriam-Webster
for 9th-Adult
in Thesauruses (Location: REF-THES)
$5.53
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
11th edition from Merriam-Webster
for 9th-Adult
in Dictionaries (Location: REF-DIC)
$21.21
Merriam-Webster's Rhyming Dictionary
by Merriam-Webster
2nd edition from Merriam-Webster
for 9th-Adult
in Dictionaries (Location: REF-DIC)
$15.26
MLA Handbook - Ninth Edition
9th edition from Modern Language Asociation of America
for 9th-Adult
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$9.50 (1 in stock)
More Nitty-Gritty Grammar
by Edith H. Fine and Judith P. Josephson
from Ten Speed Press
for 6th-Adult
in Grammar Reference (Location: REF-GRA)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Nitty-Gritty Grammar
by Edith H. Fine and Judith P. Josephson
from Ten Speed Press
for 6th-Adult
in Grammar Reference (Location: REF-GRA)
$5.50 (1 in stock)
Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need
by Susan Thurman
2nd edition from Adams Media Corp.
for 8th-Adult
in Miscellaneous Grammar Curriculum (Location: GRA-MISC)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Oxford Dictionary of Quotations
3rd edition from Oxford University
for 9th-Adult
in Dictionaries (Location: REF-DIC)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Poetry and Humanity - 2nd Edition Set
Poetics Strand Level 5
by Michael Clay Thompson
2nd edition from Royal Fireworks Press
for 7th-12th grade
in Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts (Location: GRA-MCT)
$54.00 (1 in stock)
Rod & Staff English Handbook (old)
by Esther Neuenschwander
from Rod & Staff Publishers, Inc.
$3.40 (2 in stock)
Roget's International Thesaurus
by Barbara Ann Kipfer
7th edition from Collins
for 7th-Adult
in Thesauruses (Location: REF-THES)
$22.95
Roget's International Thesaurus
by Robert L. Chapman (revised by)
4th Edition from Thomas Y. Crowell & Co.
for 6th-Adult
in Thesauruses (Location: REF-THES)
$4.80 (1 in stock)
Scarlet Letter - TLP Guide
Total Language Plus Literature Guides
by Barbara Blakey
from Total Language Plus
for 11th-12th Grade
in Total Language Plus Guides (Location: LITSG-TLP)
$14.50 (1 in stock)
Screwtape Letters
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegory/Religion for 9th-Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$15.29
Search Trilogy and Parent Manual - Set
Literature Strand Level 3
by Michael Clay Thompson
2nd edition from Royal Fireworks Press
for 5th-12th grade
in Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts (Location: GRA-MCT)
$35.00 (1 in stock)
Shadow Trilogy and Parent Manual - Set
Literature Strand Level 4
by Michael Clay Thompson
from Royal Fireworks Press
for 5th-12th grade
in Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts (Location: GRA-MCT)
$35.00 (1 in stock)
Spell to Write and Read
by Wanda Sanseri
from Back Home Industries
for Kindergarten-12th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
in Spell to Write and Read (Location: PHO-SWR)
Spell to Write and Read (really old)
by Wanda Sanseri
from Back Home Industries
for Kindergarten-12th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
$15.00 (1 in stock)
Spell to Write and Read - A Companion CD Set for Review and Mastery
by Wanda Sanseri & Jennifer Schroeder (reader)
from Your Name Ministries
for Kindergarten-12th grade
in Spell to Write and Read (Location: PHO-SWR)
$19.00 (1 in stock)
Student's Guide to Writing College Papers
by Kate L. Turabian
Fourth Edition from University of Chicago
for 10th-Adult
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$14.45
Study Strategies Made Easy
by Leslie Davis, Sandi Sirotowitz, with Harvey C. Parker
from Specialty Press
for 6th-12th grade
in Research & Study Skills (Location: REF-STUDY)
$6.40 (1 in stock)
Synonym Finder
by Jerome Irving Rodale
from Warner Books
for 11th-Adult
in Thesauruses (Location: REF-THES)
$17.00
Synonym Finder
by Jerome Irving Rodale
from Rodale Press
for 7th-Adult
in Thesauruses (Location: REF-THES)
$25.56
Talk to the Hand
by Lynne Truss
1st edition from Gotham Books
for 10th-Adult
in Clearance: English & Language Arts (Location: ZCLE-LAN)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
They Say / I Say
4th Edition from W. W. Norton and Co.
for 9th-12th grade
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
They Say / I Say (old)
by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein
3rd edition from W. W. Norton and Co.
for 9th-12th grade
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Through the Wall
by Alida Sims Malkus
from The Good and the Beautiful
for 8th-Adult
in GATB Language Arts & Reading (Location: CUR-GABELA)
$5.10 (1 in stock)
Time Trilogy and Parent Manual - Set
Literature Strand Level 4
by Michael Clay Thompson
from Royal Fireworks Press
for 5th-12th grade
in Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts (Location: GRA-MCT)
$35.00 (1 in stock)
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
from Harper Perennial
Realistic Fiction for 9th-Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$16.99 $9.00 (1 in stock)
Trivium Tables: Quid et Quo
from Classical Conversations
for 7th-12th grade
in Classical Conversations (Location: CUR-CC)
$7.00 (2 in stock)
Trivium Tables: Rhetoric
from Classical Conversations
for 7th-12th grade
in Classical Conversations (Location: CUR-CC)
$14.40 $9.00 (1 in stock)
Uncovering the Logic of English
by Denise Eide
2nd Edition from Logic of English, Inc.
for 9th-Adult
in Logic of English (Location: PHO-LOE)
$14.99
Usborne Illustrated Dictionary
by Edited by Jane Bingham, designed by Susie McCaffrey
from Usborne
for 3rd-Adult
in Dictionaries (Location: REF-DIC)
$8.80 (1 in stock)
Use the Right Word
by S. I. Hayakawa
1st edition from Reader's Digest
for 9th-Adult
in Thesauruses (Location: REF-THES)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Word Write Now
by Loranna Schwacofer
3rd edition from Institute for Excellence in Writing
for Kindergarten-12th grade
in IEW Resources (Location: WRI-IEWRES)
$35.00 $22.00 (1 in stock)
Words
by Margaret Ernst
3rd edition from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
for 9th-Adult
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Wordsmith Craftsman
by Janie Cheaney
3rd edition from Common Sense Press
Writing Curriculum for 10th-12th grade
Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks
in Wordsmiths (Location: WRI-WORDS)
$17.85
Wordsmithy
by Douglas Wilson
1st edition from Canon Press
for 9th-Adult
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$11.90
World of Poetry - 2nd Edition Set
Poetics Strand Level 3
by Michael Clay Thompson
2 Revised from Royal Fireworks Press
for 7th-12th grade
in Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts (Location: GRA-MCT)
$54.00 (1 in stock)
Write Book for Christian Families
by Robert Allen
from Bob Jones University Press
for 1st-12th grades
in Clearance: English & Language Arts (Location: ZCLE-LAN)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Writer's Guide to Perfect Punctuation
by Victor C. Pellegrino
from Maui arThoughts Company
for 9th-Adult
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$12.71 $10.00 (1 in stock)
Writer's Guide to Powerful Paragraphs
by Victor C. Pellegrino
from Maui arThoughts Company
Writing Reference for 6th-12th grade
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$21.21 $16.00 (1 in stock)
Writer's Guide to Transitional Words and Expressions
by Victor C. Pellegrino
from Maui arThoughts Company
Writing Reference for 6th-12th grade
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$14.41 $11.00 (2 in stock)
Writer's Guide to Using Eight Methods of Transition
by Victor C. Pellegrino
from Maui arThoughts Company
Writing Reference for 6th-12th grade
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Writer's Reference
by Diana Hacker, Nancy Sommers
7th edition from Bedford Press
for 9th-Adult
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Writer's Toolbox
from Bob Jones University Press
Writing Handbook for 9th-11th grade
in BJU Writing & Grammar (old versions) (Location: OBJU-GRA)
$19.00
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