Language Arts in Homeschooling

Language Arts in Homeschooling

Language Arts contains many components in homeschooling! Oral language, handwriting, spelling, writing, grammar, mechanics, usage, and vocabulary all find their place in the subject of language arts in homeschooling. Often, reading or literature study fits under the language arts umbrella as well.

Language arts can take over your day if you’re not careful! In homeschooling my own sons, I found we needed to be mindful how much time we spent on language arts each homeschool day. Otherwise, language arts could take up a large portion of our precious homeschool day and upset the balance of the rest of our subjects.

How Heart of Dakota Balances Language Arts 

To address these concerns, you will find that Heart of Dakota’s Christian homeschool programs use a systematic approach to language arts. By rotating the teaching time for each area, the time spent daily on language arts is greatly reduced.

For oral language, students memorize and recite weekly Scripture verses. They also learn to narrate or tell back what they’ve heard or read. Choral reading rhymes or poetry each week focuses on another area of oral language practice.

For handwriting, students work on copywork daily. For spelling, students focus on learning to spell a basic body of frequently used words. Next, they move on to studied dictation to cement their spelling skills.

As students become more confident spellers, they complete guided specific, purposeful writing assignments. Students learn to write weekly written narrations and receive guided writing instruction in a variety of writing methods.

For the purpose of becoming a better writer, students receive solid instruction in grammar, mechanics, and usage. Vocabulary study is addressed in our literature program and later along with our history and science topics.

The Far-Reaching Impact of Language Arts in Homeschooling 

Language Arts in homeschooling impacts so many other subject areas. I care deeply about my sons’ learning to read and write well, for I know this impacts virtually every part of their homeschooling. Likewise, the foundation laid within language arts in homeschooling reaches its influence far past the twelfth grade for our children.

Lifelong skills find their roots in language arts. I’m incredibly thankful for the way Heart of Dakota addresses each area of language arts in homeschooling without overwhelming us! I pray you find the same success we have in this important multi-faceted subject.

In Christ,

Julie

P.S. To see how HOD teaches “Reading,” which is sometimes seen as a language arts component, click here!