A Review of Learning Language Arts Through Literature
As a homeschool graduate, I grew up using the Learning Language Arts Through Literature series. It was my favorite part of homeschooling. The books we read together as a family have become treasured memories. We laughed. We cried. There’s something so powerful about enjoying a good story together. Now that I have kids of my own, I knew I wanted to carry on the tradition of using this program with them. My parents, Greg and Debbie Strayer, are authors of the language arts series, and it’s because of their love for language and literature that I am a writer and editor today. The curriculum is available for grades 1–12.
Why LLATL is Such a Great Fit for My Family & Me
Easy to Use
That really makes a difference when you sit down to get schoolwork done and you’ve already dealt with the chaos and joys of homeschooling multiple kiddos! LLATL has open-and-go lessons that aren’t overly time-consuming. When my son was younger, it was important for us to get through the daily lessons in a short amount of time.
Whole Language Approach
Instead of having to pull together a writing curriculum, spelling lessons, grammar instruction, and literature, LLATL incorporates all of these in a meaningful way. This is beneficial for many reasons. It helps us, as parents, keep everything straight, and it also helps our students see the connections. When taught as isolated pieces, we may be able to “get it all done,” but we can lose understanding of how these pieces fit together.
It Makes Them Think
I love how the questions built into every lesson help students think about what’s being studied. Instead of just giving my kids the answers, I want to hear their thoughts and help them grow in their ability to draw conclusions. This also makes learning more enjoyable because it becomes relational!
Real Books
As my mom’s mentor put it:
“When you read a book, you are in mind-to-mind encounter with its author, whether he lived 1000 years ago or lives today. This is the wonder of real books—all kinds of books, not only the serious and factual. Your mind grows through these encounters. And while you read or after you finish a book, if you have a personal response of some kind, and write, your mind grows even more. You clarify your thoughts. You develop new ways of thinking. This is education, ongoing. The read-write dialogue is of first importance. So keep your children reading and keep them writing.” — Dr. Ruth Beechick, You CAN Teach Your Child Successfully
LLATL features books that will make your kids ask you to keep reading. As I said, the memories of reading together as a family are among the best from my childhood. The handpicked books throughout this series make a great addition to any homeschool library.
If you’re looking for a language arts program you can trust, I encourage you to try Learning Language Arts Through Literature.
Not sure where your student would fit in? They offer a skills assessment to help you determine where to begin: https://commonsensepress.com/llatl-language-arts-skills-assessments/
You can also find their scope and sequence and sample lessons at the link above. If you still have questions, someone from their knowledgeable customer service team will be happy to help.
