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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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131 Items found Print
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Active Filters: 7th grade (Ages 12-13), 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)
American Heritage Dictionary
by Houghton Mifflin Company
5th edition from Dell Publishing
for 7th-Adult
in Dictionaries (Location: REF-DIC)
$9.34
American Heritage Student Thesaurus
by Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries
Reprint from Houghton Mifflin
for 7th-12th grade
in Thesauruses (Location: REF-THES)
$16.14
Amos Fortune, Free Man
by Elizabeth Yates, illustrated by Nora S. Unwin
from Puffin Books
Realistic Fiction for 4th-8th grade
1951 Newbery Medal winner
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.64
Anne of Green Gables
Anne #1
by L. M. Montgomery
from Bantam Books
Orphan Stories for 5th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$6.79
Anne of Green Gables
Anne #1
by L. M. Montgomery
from Tundra Books (NY)
Orphan Stories for 5th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$12.74
Anne of Green Gables
Anne #1
by L. M. Montgomery
from Tundra Books (NY)
Orphan Stories for 5th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.49
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
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
Bronze Bow
by Elizabeth George Speare
from Houghton Mifflin
Historical Fiction for 5th-9th grade
1962 Newbery Medal winner
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$8.49 $4.00 (1 in stock)
Call of the Wild
Puffin Classics
by Jack London
2008th edition from Puffin Books
Action/Adventure for 7th-10th grade
in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF)
$9.34 $3.60 (1 in stock)
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch
by Jean Lee Latham
from Houghton Mifflin
Biography for 5th-9th grade
1956 Newbery Medal winner
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$13.59 $7.20 (1 in stock)
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch - TLP Guide
Total Language Plus Literature Guides
from Total Language Plus
for 6th-8th Grade
in Total Language Plus Guides (Location: LITSG-TLP)
$15.00 (1 in stock)
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
Creative Writer Level 2
by Boris Fishman
from Well-Trained Mind Press
for 5th-8th grade
in Creative Writer (Location: WRI-CREATE)
$16.11
Crispin: The Cross of Lead
by Avi
from Hyperion/Madison Press
for 4th-8th grade
2003 Newbery Medal winner
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$7.64
DK Help Your Kids with Language Arts
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-8th grade
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$6.00 (2 in stock)
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
English 7 - Home School Curriculum (old)
from A Beka Books
for 7th grade
$3.40 (3 in stock)
Enough About Grammar
by Joe Floren
from Twain Productions
for 4th-10th grade
in Grammar Reference (Location: REF-GRA)
$10.00 (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)
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
by E. L. Konigsburg
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Mystery/Suspense for 4th-7th grade
1968 Newbery Medal winner
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$8.49
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
by E. L. Konigsburg
35th Anniversary Edition from Atheneum
Mystery/Suspense for 4th-7th grade
1968 Newbery Medal winner
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$7.20 (1 in stock)
Geography & Grammar Cards Level 4-7 (old)
from The Good and the Beautiful
for 5th-7th grade
$6.80 (1 in stock)
Geography & Grammar Cards Level 5-7
from The Good and the Beautiful
for 5th-7th grade
in GATB Language Arts & Reading (Location: CUR-GABELA)
$9.35 (2 in stock)
Giggly Guide to Grammar
by Cathy Campbell
for 7th-12th grade
in Grammar Reference (Location: REF-GRA)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Giver
The Giver Quartet #1
by Lois Lowry
from HMH Books for Young Readers
for 7th-10th grade
1994 Newbery Medal winner
in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI)
$10.19 $4.80 (3 in stock)
Grammar and Composition I - Bundle (old)
5th edition from A Beka Books
for 7th grade
$21.25 (1 in stock)
Grammar of Literature - 1st Edition Set
Grammar Strand Level 4
by Michael Clay Thompson
1st edition from Royal Fireworks Press
for 6th-8th grade
in Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts (Location: GRA-MCT)
$44.00 (1 in stock)
Grammar Songs - Book only
by Kathy Troxel
from Audio Memory
for 3rd-8th grade
in Grammar Reference (Location: REF-GRA)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Grammar Songs with CD
Audio Memory CDs
by Kathy Troxel
from Audio Memory
for 3rd-8th grade
in Grammar Reference (Location: REF-GRA)
$22.95 $15.00 (2 in stock)
Guide to Grammar
by Laura Wilson
from Maupin House Publishing
for 5th-8th grade
in Grammar Reference (Location: REF-GRA)
$17.00 (1 in stock)
Harvey's Elementary Grammar and Composition - Answer Key
Harvey's Language Course
by Thos. W. Harvey
from Mott Media
for 4th-8th grade
in McGuffey's Readers & Other Primers (Location: REA-MCG)
$4.00 (2 in stock)
Harvey's Revised English Grammar
Harvey's Language Course
by Thos. W. Harvey
from Mott Media
for 4th-8th grade
in McGuffey's Readers & Other Primers (Location: REA-MCG)
$17.50 $10.00 (1 in stock)
Hiding Place
by Corrie Ten Boom
from Bantam Books
Biography for 6th-10th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$7.64
High King
Prydain Chronicles #5
by Lloyd Alexander
from Henry Holt and Company
Fantasy for 4th-8th grade
1969 Newbery Medal winner
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$6.79
Hobbit
by J. R. R. Tolkien
2nd edition from Ballantine Books
Fantasy for 5th-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.35
How To Study
by Edward Shewan
2nd edition from Christian Liberty Press
for 7th-9th grade
in Research & Study Skills (Location: REF-STUDY)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
How to Write a Great Research Paper
by Leland Graham & Darriel Ledbetter
from Incentive Publications, Inc.
for 6th-9th grade
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Island of the Blue Dolphins
by Scott O'Dell
Anv from Sandpiper Books
Realistic Fiction for 5th-8th grade
1961 Newbery Medal winner
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$8.49 $4.00 (2 in stock)
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)
Jensen's Punctuation
by Frode Jensen
from Wordsmiths
for 6th-9th grade
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Jensen's Punctuation
by Frode Jensen
2nd edition from Master Books
for 6th-9th grade
in Jensen's English (Location: GRA-JENSEN)
$22.39
Jensen's Vocabulary
by Frode Jensen
from Master Books
for 7th-10th grade
in Jensen's English (Location: GRA-JENSEN)
$28.79 $20.00 (1 in stock)
Johnny Tremain
by Esther Forbes
from Yearling
Historical Fiction/Adventure for 3rd-10th grade
1944 Newbery Medal winner
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$4.50 (2 in stock)
Julie of the Wolves
"Julie" Trilogy Book 1
by Jean Craighead George
from HarperCollins
Adventure for 7th-10th grade
1973 Newbery Medal winner
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$6.79
Julie of the Wolves - TLP Guide
Total Language Plus Literature Guides
from Total Language Plus
for 6th-8th Grade
in Total Language Plus Guides (Location: LITSG-TLP)
$18.66
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
King of the Wind
by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Wesley Dennis
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Realistic Animal Stories for 3rd-7th grade
1949 Newbery Medal winner
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$6.79 $3.20 (1 in stock)
King of the Wind
by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Wesley Dennis
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Realistic Animal Stories for 3rd-7th grade
1949 Newbery Medal winner
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$21.24
Language Arts 7 - Daily Checklist
from The Good and the Beautiful
for 7th grade
in GATB Language Arts & Reading (Location: CUR-GABELA)
$1.49 (1 in stock)
Language Arts Level 7 Favorite Classics Reader
1st edition from The Good and the Beautiful
for 7th grade
in The Good and the Beautiful (Location: CUR-GAB)
$7.23 (2 in stock)
Lantern Lane #1
Good and the Beautiful Library Level 6
by Tessa Greene
from The Good and the Beautiful
for 6th-7th grade
in GATB Language Arts & Reading (Location: CUR-GABELA)
$4.25 (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 7 - 10-Unit Set
from Alpha Omega Publications
in AOP Lifepacs: Language Arts (Location: CLE-LIFEPAC)
$102.00
Lifepac: Language Arts 7 - Book 1
from Alpha Omega Publications
in AOP Lifepacs: Language Arts (Location: CLE-LIFEPAC)
$11.50
Lifepac: Language Arts 7 - Book 10
from Alpha Omega Publications
in AOP Lifepacs: Language Arts (Location: CLE-LIFEPAC)
$11.50 $5.00 (2 in stock)
Lifepac: Language Arts 7 - Book 2
from Alpha Omega Publications
in AOP Lifepacs: Language Arts (Location: CLE-LIFEPAC)
$11.50
Lifepac: Language Arts 7 - Book 6
from Alpha Omega Publications
in AOP Lifepacs: Language Arts (Location: CLE-LIFEPAC)
$11.50 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Lifepac: Language Arts 7 - Book 7
from Alpha Omega Publications
in AOP Lifepacs: Language Arts (Location: CLE-LIFEPAC)
$11.50 $5.00 (2 in stock)
Lifepac: Language Arts 7 - Book 8
from Alpha Omega Publications
in AOP Lifepacs: Language Arts (Location: CLE-LIFEPAC)
$11.50 $5.00 (2 in stock)
Lifepac: Language Arts 7 - Book 9
from Alpha Omega Publications
in AOP Lifepacs: Language Arts (Location: CLE-LIFEPAC)
$11.50 $5.00 (2 in stock)
Lifepac: Language Arts 7 - Teacher's Guide
from Alpha Omega Publications
in AOP Lifepacs: Language Arts (Location: CLE-LIFEPAC)
$12.00 (2 in stock)
Light in the Forest
by Conrad Richter
from Vintage Classics
Historical Fiction for 5th-8th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$6.76
Light in the Forest
by Conrad Richter, illustrated by Warren Chappell
from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
Historical Fiction for 5th-8th grade
$13.56
Light in the Forest - TLP Guide
Total Language Plus Literature Guides
from Total Language Plus
for 6th-8th Grade
in Total Language Plus Guides (Location: LITSG-TLP)
$18.66 $12.00 (1 in stock)
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Chronicles of Narnia Book 2
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.34
Little Grammar People
by Nuri Mass
from Living Book Press
for 3rd-8th grade
in Grammar Reference (Location: REF-GRA)
$14.99
McCall-Crabbs Books A-E - Teacher's Guide & Answer Key
by William A. McCall & Lelah Mae Crabbs
from Back Home Industries
for 1st-9th grade
in McCall-Crabbs Reading Comprehension (Location: REACOM-MC)
$6.00
Mooring Tree
by Gertrude Robinson
2020 GaTB from The Good and the Beautiful
for 4th-8th grade
in GATB Language Arts & Reading (Location: CUR-GABELA)
$3.20 (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)
My Side of the Mountain
by Jean Craighead George
from Puffin Books
Adventure for 4th-8th grade
1960 Newbery Honor Book
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$7.64
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)
Official Scrabble Players Dictionary
from Merriam-Webster
for 6th-9th grade
in Dictionaries (Location: REF-DIC)
$6.40 (1 in stock)
Our Mother Tongue
by Nancy Wilson
2nd edition from Canon Press
for 7th-10th grade
in Miscellaneous Grammar Curriculum (Location: GRA-MISC)
$20.39 $15.00 (1 in stock)
Our Mother Tongue: A Guide to English Grammar (old)
by Nancy Wilson
from Canon Press
for 7th-10th grade
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Out of the Dust
by Karen Hesse
from Scholastic Inc.
Realistic Fiction for 6th-8th grade
1998 Newbery Medal winner
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$7.64
Phantom Tollbooth
by Norton Juster
from Yearling
Satirical Fantasy for 5th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.64
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)
Poetry of Literature - 2nd Edition Set
Poetics Strand Level 4
by Michael Clay Thompson
2nd edition from Royal Fireworks Press
for 6th-8th grade
in Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts (Location: GRA-MCT)
$41.00 (1 in stock)
Rifles for Watie
by Harold Keith
from HarperCollins
Historical Fiction for 6th-10th grade
1958 Newbery Medal winner
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$13.59
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 Pimpernel - TLP Bundle
for 6th-8th grade
in Total Language Plus Guides (Location: LITSG-TLP)
Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms
by Marvin Terban
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-9th grade
in Dictionaries (Location: REF-DIC)
$5.20 (1 in stock)
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)
Someday You'll Write
by Elizabeth Yates
2nd edition from Bob Jones University Press
Non-fiction for 5th-9th grade
in Writing Reference (Location: REF-WRI)
$5.00 $3.00 (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)
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