Language Arts

Broad Language Arts Curriculum

Nessy - Designed for dyslexic students, uses the Orton-Gillinham method for teaching reading, spelling, writing, typing, and even number sense, using colorful games, videos, worksheets, and tablet app

Logic of English - Reading, Spelling, Handwriting, Vocabulary for lower grades. Includes Orton-Gillingam method for struggling readers.

Michael Clay Thompson - An academically focused language arts curriculum focused on literature, grammar, vocabulary, and writing skills. Lessons in book form, with teacher's guides, or iBooks, a few online classes available also.

Moving Beyond The Page - Open and go lessons on many subjects including Language Arts, in lesson/question format. Language arts has a great deal of writing and grammar. Grades K-12.

Build Your Library - A unique curriculum covering literature, science and history by reading books assigned, doing art projects, and research. Similar to the Charlotte Mason method, but not religion based.

Time4Learning - Online lessons in Language Arts for grades K-12. Combination of animated lessons, instructional videos, worksheets and quizzes. Parents read work and provide feedback. Monthly subscription fee.

Writing

Brave Writer - Helps reluctant writers get comfortable with writing using their ideas, with lots of encouragement and some attention to mechanics through copy work and dictation. For grades K-12. Books, lessons, and online classes are offered.

Write Shop - Workbooks for grades K-12 in writing and grammar skills. Basics up through essays, editing skills. Teacher's manuals, also video options.

Essentials In Writing (EIW) - Video lectures on DVD's, the author at a white board, with corresponding assignments in a notebook for student's work. Parent grading keys but otherwise no teacher guide. Grades 1-12.

Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) - Workbooks, DVD's and teacher's guides for elementary to high school level writing skills. Outlining, paraphrasing, and report writing in a step by step, formulaic manner.

Winning with Writing - Part of a series from JacKrisPublishing, workbooks for grades 1 - 8. Writing, grammar and spelling.

Reading

All About Reading - Phonics based workbooks and hands-on activities for learning to read, grades PreK-4. Great for struggling readers.

Explode the Code - A time tested phonics learn to read program, with many workbooks, grades PreK - 4. They now have a tablet based program as well. (tip: workbooks video overview and cheaper prices on Rainbow Resource)

Reading Eggs - An online subscription based program for young children learning to read. Engaging characters, games and rewards.

Logic of English - Workbooks and materials for teaching reading at younger ages or for older struggling learners.

Barton Reading - A thorough research-based system for teaching reading and spelling to dyslexic learners. Expensive, but can be re-sold.

Nessy Reading - Online reading instruction based on an Orton-Gillingham method. Great for dyslexic readers or "reluctant readers".

Spelling

All About Spelling - Rules-based spelling workbooks and hands-on activities, grades PreK-4. Fairly time intensive but no worksheets.

Sequential Spelling - A very simple whole-word method of self correction and mastery. Workbooks are word lists in a specific order, very simple to teach. Now also online apps read the words so the student can be independent. Good for older students who need to catch up on spelling.

Touch Type, Read and Spell - Tablet software based program that teaches younger students keyboarding skills along with reading and spelling. Designed for dyslexia and students with learning disabilities.

SpellWell = A series of workbooks using rules and pattern recognition to learn spelling, for grades 1-5. By Nancy Hall, the author of Explode the Code. (available on Rainbow Resource)

Spelling You See - Workbooks that use copy work and studying short reading passages to learn words in context. Videos for the parent explain the teaching philosophy. From makers of Math U See.

Spelling Power - One big book of lists, organized into study families, for grades 1 - 12. Work through the words doing various recommended physical activities for memorizing them.

Soaring With Spelling - Part of a series from JacKrisPublishing, workbooks for grades 1 - 8. Writing, grammar and spelling.

Spelling Workout - Modern Curriculum Press (now owned by Pearson) - traditional leveled spelling books, available on Rainbow Resource.

Grammar

Easy Grammar - Step by step grammar lessons, with lots of practice and a teacher's guide for answers. Can be used to fill in gaps in grammar knowledge.

IXL Language Arts - Computer based online grammar practice lessons, select your own lessons any time, any grade. Subscription based monthly/annually.

Growing With Grammar - Part of a series from JacKrisPublishing, workbooks for grades 1 - 8. Writing, grammar and spelling.

Analytical Grammar - Workbook lessons at several levels from grades 4 - 12, taught in a logical step by step format. The main course is designed to be taught over three years, but sections can be done independently.

Fix It Grammar and Editor in Chief - These two books by different publishers both have passages with errors for the student to find. A good way to practice proofreading skills.

Handwriting Skills

Handwriting Without Tears - Systematic way to learn printing, using workbooks and their special progression of letters. Two-lined paper instead of three-lined, and cursive available also.

Rhythm of Handwriting - By the Logic Of English publisher, curriculum books for either cursive or manuscript.

Getty-Dubay Italic (aka. Write Now) - For kids OR adults who want to improve their handwriting legibility. Used in hospitals for physicians, business people, as well as children.

New American Cursive - Four levels of cursive workbooks, designed to teach cursive from the start, or for adults. Also offers software for customizing writing paper and worksheets, number of lines, sizes, etc.

Channie's - Visual handwriting notebooks for kids - three lines with center green background. Not a curriculum, but nicer than the usual practice pads.

Make Your Own Handwriting Worksheets - Type in your custom words and this free web site generates a printable three-line worksheet.

Literature

Penguin Books Teacher's Guides - Free, downloadable unit studies for novels and plays from this traditional textbook publisher. PDF format.

Glencoe Literature Library - Free, downloadable unit studies for novels and plays from this traditional textbook publisher. PDF format.

Reed Novel Studies - Novel study units for a range of grades from 3 - 12, minimal cost per unit.

Teachers Pay Teachers - This site has many unit studies for novels and short stories at all levels. Units will include discussion questions, comprehension quizzes, vocabulary, graphic organizers and more. Usually only a few dollars.

Essentials in Literature - Literary analysis lectures on DVD's, the author at a white board, with corresponding assignments in a student workbook. Parent grading keys but otherwise no teacher guide. Grades 7 - 12

Teacher Created Resources - Literature Units - Unit study packets for various classic books.

Note: Both Schmoop and SparkNotes have many literature units, however, their free access pages are so full of ads, they're nearly impossible to use. Subscriptions are pricey but may be worth it if you will use multiple courses.