Why We Love This High School Language Arts Curriculum!

Finding the right language arts curriculum for high school can feel a bit… overwhelming. There are so many aspects to consider and a variety of ways you can approach this beast of a subject.

There are countless options to consider when choosing a homeschool Language Arts program, including secular or faith-based learning, a traditional or eclectic approach, and even whether physical products or online learning works best for your family.

As a homeschool mom who loves all that language arts entails, I often find myself trying to strike a balance between quality academics and allowing curiosity to take us on grand adventures… but with a high schooler in the mix, I am also very aware that we need to make sure he is prepared for life.

This year, I found myself looking for something that encourages a love of language arts while also fostering a devotion to the rules. Something that equips my teen for real-world communication, while still being grounded in values and true to our core approach to learning.

And, friend, I think we’ve found it! Let me tell you more, including how you can enter to win a level of this amazing homeschool language arts curriculum!

This post is a product or curriculum review & I was compensated for my time. All opinions are my own and are based on our experience with the product; I was not required to create a positive review for this company.

I’m not shy about the fact that I love language arts. It’s a complex subject for sure, but it’s also one that emboldens people to connect.

We use the art of language to share ideas, record accounts, pass along information, and entertain. It’s a multi-faceted subject that one could spend a lifetime studying.

Or, you could homeschool and work with companies like MasterBooks to help you combine a literature-rich education with truth.

A Living Education

In our home, we love book-based homeschooling and a literary-rich education. One that encourages reading, sitting with ideas and questions, and, of course, curiosity.

We also like to make sure our homeschool is infused with faith-based lessons that are centered around a Christian worldview… you know, the stuff really matters!

This is just one of the many reasons our family loves MasterBooks! Faith-based materials that gently instill knowledge, encourage character development, and guide homeschool families with support, encouragement, and an easy-to-use format that works for a variety of homeschool schedules.

We are no strangers to the world of MasterBooks and have yet to find a program we didn’t enjoy among their offerings. Over the years, we have tried many of their courses, including math, history, science, and even their biblical homeschool curriculum (LINK).

But how would their Language Arts stack up? That’s the question we set out to answer as my teen and I explored Level 10 of Language Lessons for a Living Education from MasterBooks.

Is it a keeper? Do I need to keep looking? Should you consider this Language Arts curriculum for your homeschool? How could you win a level for your homeschool? I’ve got all the details, friend.

What Are Language Lessons for a Living Education

Before we get into our experience with Language Lessons for a Living Education, I want to give you a brief overview of the entire program.

Language Lessons for a Living Education is a Christian, mastery-based language arts curriculum currently offering instruction from Kindergarten through 12th grade.

It’s designed to integrate grammar, writing, reading, and communication into one seamless course of study. Each level is structured around a Charlotte Mason-inspired approach that is gentle, yet thorough, with a strong focus on developing both technical skills and a love for language.

One of the things that makes this series unique is how it weaves biblical truth and practical application into each lesson. Instead of seemingly random drills or abstract prompts that can frustrate students and parents alike, students engage with meaningful content that supports both their academic development and their faith.

In short, Language Lessons for a Living Education offers the same effective, faith-filled approach that MasterBooks users have come to expect.

Our Review of MasterBooks Language Arts

For many, high school Language Arts represents a bit of a challenge.

Do we fully remember independent versus dependent clauses?

Are gerunds really that important to understand?

Will our child suffer greatly if they never master complex punctuation, including colons, semi-colons, and when to use hyphens?

Thankfully, Level 10 of Language Lessons for a Living Education covers all of this and then some inside this 36-week curriculum. It covers advanced territory that some of us may not recall with ease, educating our children while also offering a great refresher to parents who want to learn alongside their children.

In addition to grammar lessons and a robust vocabulary review, this homeschool Language Arts program dives deep into effective communication, scripture, literary analysis, writing projects, and even US History.

Truthfully, one of my favorite aspects of this level is the US history integration! When subjects overlap, it makes homeschooling (and learning) easier and more realistic.

Whether your high school student is gearing up for college, career, or military, this program certainly aims to have them adequately prepared.

A Look Inside This Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

As we near the end of my son’s home education journey, I am all too aware of the many things I could still cover with him.

With two graduates already under our belt, I am also acutely aware that I cannot cover it all.

However, with purpose and direction, I can be intentional over the next few years to give him the skills and knowledge he needs, while preparing him for a lifetime of learning.

How does this relate to MasterBooks’ Language Lessons for a Living Education? I’m glad you asked!

As a veteran homeschool mom who both embraces the relaxed method of learning while simultaneously wanting to properly prepare my children for life, I battle doing too much, doing too little, and getting stuck in what I call analysis paralysis, where I have too many directions to choose from.

Language Arts can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming when you consider the sheer volume of areas you can study – grammar, vocabulary, literature, writing, reading comprehension, and even oration.

It’s a lot!

Thankfully, someone at MasterBooks must have had me in mind when they prepared the 10th level of their homeschool Language Arts program because it includes:

• Daily lessons that cover grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and writing lessons are systematically laid out
• Assignments that include essays, speeches, and creative writing projects.
• Christian worldview content is woven into every unit
• A rich selection of literature that complements the historical and moral themes

Not to mention, reviews to check for comprehension of the material, grading rubrics for mom, a 36-week schedule, and an appendix filled with teaching resources to help guide you both!

Mastery-Based Learning for Real Language Arts Growth

As the saying goes, if you don’t use it, you lose it. This may be part of the reason you can’t quite recall what to do with dangling modifiers, how to handle split infinitives, and where to place the punctuation in a quote.

Just because you can’t recall these items doesn’t mean your homeschooling high schooler shouldn’t learn them.

Or master them.

While I am typically a fan of spiral-based learning, with a subject like language arts, skills tend to build on each other. This means mastery-based learning, where a student moves forward only after they demonstrate a real understanding of the material, is ideal to ensure student success.

Language Lessons for a Living Education Level 10 leans into this model by revisiting key concepts, such as sentence structure, literary elements, and persuasive writing, in greater depth over time. Instead of rushing through topics, students are encouraged to slow down, absorb, and apply what they’ve learned.

The result? Slow and steady growth that leads to confidence in a subject that makes many quiver.

Confidence in their communication skills. Confidence in their writing abilities. Confidence in expressing what they believe and why. Now if that’s not preparing students with a living education, I don’t know what is?!

What We Love About MasterBooks Homeschool Language Arts

There are a lot of things to love about Language Lessons for a Living Education, but here are a few highlights from our time with this program.

• Open-and-go design: Just like many other MasterBooks courses, Language Lessons for a Living Education utilizes an open-and-go design that allows me to pass the book to my teen and trust he can follow along. Lessons follow a simple and consistent layout, which makes working independently easy for my teen, as does the recommended schedule.
• Faith-integrated learning: I know that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), so I truly appreciate MasterBooks’ continuously pointing back to the Christian faith and worldview. With scripture woven into each lesson, including memorization, critical thinking, and even hymn studies, this is more than a language arts program.
• Rich content: Level 10 of Language Lessons for a Living Education challenges students to think critically and communicate clearly, all while exploring thought-provoking themes and challenging students to increase their vocabulary. It’s not fluff, nor is it filled with busywork. Rather, this is deep, rich content that will prepare the student for life after homeschool.
• Balanced workload: One of the biggest struggles of high school can be finding time for core classes, electives, work or volunteer obligations, and the last couple of years of childhood. Even with everything included, the daily lessons are substantial without being overwhelming – perfect for high schoolers juggling multiple subjects!
• A trusted company: Over our years as a homeschooling family, we have grown to love and trust MasterBooks. I know I’ve only shared a few of the programs we’ve used on the website, but we have personally been utilizing MasterBooks for the past 7 or 8 years! US & World History, Astronomy, Biology, and several of their faith-specific lines are just a few of the many MasterBooks courses we have used, whether teaching elementary, middle, or high school level. It’s a company I am happy to return to as a homeschool mom.

High School Language Arts Curriculum

Over the years, we’ve tried quite a few different homeschool language arts programs.

We’ve bounced around between creating our own custom experience as we collected bits and pieces from various sources.

We’ve utilized programs that we streamlined and left plenty of room for curiosity and exploration.

And some years, we’ve committed to a complete program like Language Lessons for a Living Education.

Working our way through high school, it’s important to me that we spend at last one (if not two) years working with a complete program to ensure my son has a good grasp on grammar and writing concepts, a robust vocabulary that will serve him well in life, and some exposure to poetry (a side of language arts we often fall short on).

Language Lessons for a Living Education gives us that – and then some!

As for my son, well, he’s embarking on his sophomore year, and it’s too particular on what we use for language arts (I’m pretty sure he’d be OK if we skipped it!). However, he does love the fact that this is a physical program with a workbook (optimal for on-the-go learning), and is set up for independent learning (his preferred method).

Side note: you can order digital copies if you prefer and print yourself, making it super affordable when homeschooling multiple kids!

Plus, he’s super familiar with the MasterBooks approach, having used them for much of his homeschool years.

Choosing A High School Language Arts Curriculum

Choosing a high school language arts curriculum isn’t just about checking off academic requirements; it’s about preparing our teens to communicate with clarity, confidence, and compassion.

With Language Lessons for a Living Education Level 10, MasterBooks has created a resource that does just that. It’s rooted in biblical truth, filled with rigorous in content that prepares teens, and is thoughtfully designed for homeschool families.

Academically solid and spiritually grounded, MasterBooks is one curriculum company I know and trust, whether it’s math, history, science, or bible.

And now that my teen and I have worked through Level 10 of Language Lessons for a Living Education, I can confidently say: this one is a keeper.

Whether you’re new to the series or looking for something fresh for your high schooler, this curriculum might be just what you need.

Don’t Miss the Giveaway!

If Language Lessons for a Living Education sounds like something you’d love to try, now’s the perfect time! MasterBooks to offer a special giveaway for homeschool families, just in time for the back to homeschool season.

One winner will receive a complete level of Language Lessons for a Living Education, your choice of level! Whether you’re just starting out or deep into high school, there’s something in this series for everyone.

Happy Homeschooling, friend! 😊

Want To Learn More About MasterBooks?

If you’re curious about other MasterBooks curriculum options, you might want to check out some of our previous reviews!

• Homeschool Bible Curriculum Your Family Is Sure To Love!
• Start Your Day Right with Bible Based Homeschool Curriculum
• Lay The Right Foundation with Biblical Homeschool Curriculum