Often called “language arts” in the elementary and middle school years, English encompasses the development of writing and reading skills in the English language. Highschoolers generally take four years of English. English in 9th and 10th grade usually focuses on the development of reading and writing skills, while 11th grade covers American literature and 12th grade explores an English elective subject, such as world literature or creative writing. Many homeschoolers choose a different sequence and various other topics when it comes to high school English.
As you go about choosing curriculums and an English course sequence for your high school student, be sure to check on the English course requirements for homeschoolers in your state (especially if your student will be seeking a diploma). If your student is planning to attend college, you may also want to check into the expectations of the universities he or she is interested in attending – many will require four years of English in high school, and some will have specific requirements about what subjects those courses should cover. Your student may also want to consider taking an English AP class or studying for an English AP exam in order to place out of, or gain credit for, general English classes in college.
We hope this section on English curriculum and resources for homeschooled high school students is helpful to you. If there is a topic you’d like to learn more about, please email us and we’ll consider researching it for a future article!