english lessons through literature review

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English Lessons Through Literature

English Lessons Through Literature (ELTL) is a language arts program for first through eighth grade (or higher) that uses both Charlotte Mason and classical methods. ELTL  primarily covers grammar and composition skills. The series consists of seven levels that are identified by the letters A through G .  

One large book serves as the coursebook for both parent and student for each level. (An optional student workbook is available.) Parents will present lessons from the book, but students will also sometimes work from that same book. Older students can probably complete most work on their own directly from the book with less parental interaction. In contrast to most language arts programs, these courses are intended to be taught three days per week rather than every day.

Each level requires you to also have on hand full-length books for reading aloud, but those are all supposed to be available free online. Parents will need to read them aloud until students are at the stage where they can read independently and comprehend what they are reading. Examples of literary works used for each level are:

Level A, Aspiring:  The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies by Beatrix Potter, Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling, and Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi Level B, Blossoming:   The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson Level C, Cultivating:   The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting, The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum, and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett Level D, Discerning:   Heidi by Johanna Spyri, Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, and The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame  Level E, Enlightening:   The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, The Happy Prince and Other Tales by Oscar Wilde, and Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne Level F, Flourishing:   At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald,  Call of the Wild by Jack London, and Otto of the Silver Hand by Howard Pyle Level G, Growing:  “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving, “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe,  The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson, and  Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Within the course books, Aesop's Fables are used frequently in all levels along with the fiction, non-fiction, and poetry from the public domain listed above. While some of the literature seems difficult or archaic, many homeschoolers have found that children understand surprisingly well, and their vocabulary and reading skills advance rapidly by exposure to challenging literature. While parents will have to discuss the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words, the mix of real books,  Aesop's Fables,  poetry, and other, sometimes unusual, literary selections balances out fairly well so that the content is interesting and even fun to read. In contrast to most of the literature, DeVore's instruction on grammar is written simply and directly to the student in a casual, personal tone. The instruction avoids the sometimes flowery language that has been used in earlier books presenting Charlotte Mason-style language lessons.

In  Level A, rather than traditional workbooks, ELTL uses copywork, narration, dictation, and picture study as children work with poems, Aesop's Fables , fiction books, and reproduced pictures of works by famous artists. Narrations in the first half of  Level A  are picture narrations—you will first read one of  Aesop's Fables to your child, and he or she will draw a picture of the fable. Next, the child narrates, telling you about his or her picture. Each day's lesson includes an excerpt from literature to be read aloud, a poem, and either an Aesop's Fable or a reproduced artwork for picture study.

Picture study differs from the initial picture narrations. Beginning even in Level A , students study pictures of artworks. Some discussion-generating questions are included for each picture. These include broad, general questions such as, "Describe the picture," so that children can narrate to you what they see and think about each picture. Pictures are reproduced in full color in the digital editions while print edition pictures are black and white. Since color images are an important factor when it comes to art appreciation, De Vore provides free color copies of the art through her Lulu store.

The second half of Level A  begins standard narrations. For these, you read the fable aloud, then your child retells the story in his or her own words while you write it down. If your child is verbose, this can be challenging. You might have to experiment with ways to take a shorthand version of the child's retelling, record and transcribe it, or come up with some other way to capture their ideas accurately. Some children might need prompting with leading questions, so DeVore offers suggestions for those in the introduction to each book. In Level B , you will write a portion of your child's narration for him or her to use as copywork. Children begin to write their own narrations in Level C, although they continue to do some oral narrations.

In the primary grades, children learn many aspects of grammar and correct usage simply through exposure to the literary works and their own copywork. Copywork in ELTL is taken from literature, maxims, and poetry. Spelling and many aspects of grammar and usage are learned through the dictation exercises and copywork. However, some direct instruction is also included. At the beginning of a lesson, just after reading the literary selection, a new grammatical concept is usually taught using a sample sentence from the literature. Children begin some written grammar exercises in Level C . Rather than pre-written exercises, students either copy sentences into a copybook then mark them as directed, or else they can complete these activities in the optional workbook. Sentence diagramming, introduced in Level C , is an element more commonly found in classical programs than in Charlotte Mason style programs. Diagramming instruction continues through all levels from this point on. Some memory work for grammar rules is included at the end of each book for you to use if you wish.

Most of the example sentences used for instruction and some of the copywork are drawn from the literature, so it is best if a parent reads the literature assignment before beginning each lesson. Some of those sample sentences have been simplified for diagramming, and some changes have been made in spelling and punctuation in line with current usage.

Students in Levels D through G  (as well as the future Level   H ) begin composition work by imitation as in the progymnasmata , a classical approach. They learn to outline their compositions and develop skills for writing different types of compositions. Older students begin to work with historical and scientific narratives in addition to the literature. Students continue to work from models in Levels D and above rather than coming up with their own topics. However, activities based on the progymnasmata have students work creatively from those models, in effect, using models as springboards from which to develop their skills for original writing.

While Levels A through G  are recommended for grades one through seven, they might be used a year or more later. Series author Kathy De Vore actually used them a year later with her own children. A child who has already learned to read and write in kindergarten should be able to start in Level A . If you have an older student (fifth grade or above) who has had little exposure to grammar, you might want to start with Level D because it paces grammar instruction at an introductory level on topics such as indirect objects and sentence diagramming. You might even consider using the first four levels with upper elementary students who have struggled with language arts thus far and need a fresh introduction.

Levels D and beyond build upon one another, so they should be used in sequence. Even more than lower-level courses, each of these courses can be used by students two or more years beyond the corresponding grade levels. This means that you shouldn't be concerned about a student getting behind if you use, for example, Level E with an eighth grader. Remember that the letter designations for levels allow you to use these courses whenever it is best for each student.

Following are some details for each level:

Level A is lighter than succeeding levels. Children learn sentence structure, usage, and vocabulary as they listen to the read-alouds and complete copywork exercises, and they are also taught about capitalization and punctuation. In the second half of the book, children are introduced to nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adjectives.

Level B continues with capitalization, punctuation, and types of sentences. It also introduces the parts of speech, helping verbs, linking verbs, being verbs, contractions, abbreviations, antonyms, synonyms, and homophones. Exercises at this level have children demonstrate an understanding of what they have learned regarding grammar.

Level C adds two dictation exercises each week. Parts of speech and syntax are taught again but with the addition of sentence diagramming. Students will also do some written work as they analyze words, come up with synonyms, rewrite sentences from the story (e.g., turning a declarative sentence into an interrogative sentence), or imitate a descriptive paragraph. In general, the reading and copywork passages are lengthier, and the exercises are more challenging. The grammar is definitely more challenging than what is covered in many other third grade courses since children learn about comparative adjectives, subject-verb agreement, the concepts of person and tense, appositives, and infinitives, as well as how to identify and diagram all eight parts of speech. In preparation for learning to diagram prepositional phrases, students mark prepositional phrases with brackets, a strategy I find very helpful. The optional workbook for Level C includes lines for sentence diagrams, a feature that should make diagramming easier for students.

Level D continues with both oral and written narrations, picture study, grammar (with sentence parsing and increasingly complex sentence diagrams), dictation, and memory work. Grammar instruction is more direct than in earlier levels. Students also do copywork each day in a blank composition book by copying passages from the literary works, model stories, or other sources that a parent might choose.

With Level D , elements of the progymnasmata become more visible as students continually work through a six-lesson (two-week) cycle for each writing lesson. On the first of the six days, students read and orally narrate the model story that will be used as the springboard for the writing lessons. Many of the model stories are from folk tales, but some are non-fiction pieces on science or history. The second day generally assigns a "copia exercise" where students might find synonyms for certain words, condense or expand sentences, change the type of a sentence, substitute synonyms or antonyms, or otherwise play with words and sentences to extend their wordsmithing skills. Alternatively, they might be assigned to write an outline of the model story. The third day is for writing either a literary analysis or a descriptive writing exercise. Another copia exercise is completed on the fourth day. The fifth day specifies copywork be done from the model story. On the sixth day, students write their own narration of the model story from their outline.

Level E continues in the same format as Level D , although the level of difficulty is definitely higher. Both books follow a similar progression with types of writing, even using very similar assignments. For example, in both books, Lesson 78 includes writing a scientific narration. The same introductory information is included for both lessons, but  Level E 's lesson adds: "Begin your paper with an introduction. This can be background information, an anecdote, a surprising statement or question, a quotation, or an imaginary scenario." This is a good example of the type of incremental learning that takes place in this series.

Level F  teaches slant narratives, the  in medias res technique (a story that starts in the middle of the action), reverse chronology, biographical sketches, compare and contrast essays, parables, literary analysis, and how to write introductions and conclusions. While some models are drawn from well-known poets and historical narratives such as  Great Englishmen by M. B. Synge, most models are taken from Chinese and Japanese fairy tales and legends.

Level G is similar to Level F, although a mixture of American and British literature serves as the source for models. It reviews some of the same composition skills taught in Level F such as reverse chronology, compare and contrast essays, and literary analysis. It continues to teach students to write from models and to rewrite sentences in copia exercises. It introduces two more elements of the progymnasmata: chreia and maxim.

Level H (due summer of 2019) has this brief description: "The stories in Level H will be Jewish stories from the Talmud and Midrash, Zen Buddhism stories, and Christian parables; these will be included as literature, rather than as devotional texts, to promote cultural literacy."

While the fables and literary works used in  English Lessons Through Literature  often teach virtues and positive character traits, these courses are secular in approach. A Bible Supplement (available either as a free download or as a printed book for $10 )  has Bible verses for copywork or dictation.

Lessons are simple to follow using instructions within each book. There are no answer keys for Levels A and B , but answers are obvious or easy to determine. Levels C and above have answer keys for the exercises at the back of the book.

All books (texts and optional workbooks) are available as either print or downloadable PDFs. (You also have a choice of either four or five different forms of manuscript or cursive models for the Level A through D workbooks.) The workbooks have copywork models with space for writing, drawing, and all other exercises students would otherwise complete outside of the coursebook. While the workbooks are optional, they do make using the courses easier for both parent and student.

English Lessons Through Literature is a challenging and comprehensive program that retains the hallmarks of Charlotte Mason's methodology while also including some classical methodology. The coverage of grammar, although introduced earlier than Mason recommended, should prove helpful to those concerned about the Common Core and standardized tests.

Pricing Information

When comparison prices appear, please keep in mind that they are subject to change. Click on links where available to verify price accuracy.

List Prices PDF textbooks: Level A - $15, Level B - $25, Level C - $30, Levels D or E - $40 each, Levels F or G - $45 each printed textbooks: $25-$55 each workbooks: PDFs - $15 each, printed books - $20-$30 each

English Lessons Through Literature Secular Level E: Enlightening

• $54.88 at Amazon.com
• $26.37 Used at Amazon.com Marketplace
• $42.50 at Rainbowresource.com

English Lessons Through Literature Secular Level D: Discerning

• $49.82 at Amazon.com
• $22.95 Used at Amazon.com Marketplace
• $37.75 at Rainbowresource.com

English Lessons Through Literature Secular Level C: Cultivating

• $39.25 at Amazon.com
• $6.91 Used at Amazon.com Marketplace
• $29.95 at Rainbowresource.com

English Lessons Through Literature Secular Level B: Blossoming

• $38.17 at Amazon.com
• $20.80 Used at Amazon.com Marketplace

English Lessons Through Literature Secular Level A: Aspiring

• $27.77 at Amazon.com
• $11.65 Used at Amazon.com Marketplace
• $23.95 at Rainbowresource.com

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English Lessons Through Literature D Review

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A review of English Lessons Through Literature Level D .

I received English lessons Through Literature D free in exchange for a review. These are my honest opinions and I was not required to post a positive review.

I’ve been on the lookout for an excellent English curriculum that would give my children an excellent education without requiring us to be chained to the kitchen table all day.

And that’s what I found in English Lessons Through Literature D!

English Lessons Through Literature is an excellent English curriculum based upon a combination of the classical approach and Charlotte Mason approach. It uses beautiful classical children’s literature, the progymnasmata, and thorough grammar study to teach language arts.

And it’s a complete language arts curriculum!

You don’t have to purchase more unless you want to. This allows you to supplement the areas that are most important to your family without overloading your children. Or you can simply do the curriculum as written.

In my case, I’ve chosen to use the curriculum as written!

Beautiful Classic Children’s Literature

English Lessons Through Literature uses beautiful classic children’s literature for the lessons. In level D, the books are:

• The Book of Dragons by E. Nesbit
• Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
• Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum
• “The Reluctant Dragon” by Kenneth Grahame
• Heidi by Johanna Spyri
• Tanglewood Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne

The children are not required to read the books by themselves. You can use audiobooks, read the books aloud, or read the books together. I’m reading the books aloud to my daughter before the lessons making our time together special.

I will say, when we first started reading through The Book of Dragons, she hated the stories. But she started loving the stories after the first one or two. It just took a couple of days.

The stories are well-paced. We’re only reading 3 or 4 chapters a week in order to stay on track. This makes it easy to keep up. And we’re enjoying the slow approach.

We’re able to savor each book instead of racing through to see how many books we can read in a year.

Writing instruction using the progymnasmata

The progymnasmata are a series of rhetorical exercises used since antiquity to teach writing. The exercises are Fable, Narrative, Anecdote, Maxim, Refutation, Confirmation, Commonplace, Encomium, Invective, Comparison, Personification, Description, Argument, Introduction to Law.

And the progymnastmata is one of the many things that attracted me to English Lessons Through Literature .

English Lessons Through Literature D concentrates on teaching children narrative or narrations. In level B, the narrations were oral retellings of Aesop’s Fables. Level D assigns written narrations of various types.

The types are:

• Condensed Narrations
• Amplified Narrations
• Point of View Narrations
• Slant Narratives
• Scientific Narrations
• Historical Narrations

In addition, there are different types of writing exercises throughout the 6 lessons you’re working with a model.

• Read the model and the student gives an oral narration
• Copia exercise to practice playing with words. Outlining will be taught later in the year.
• Either descriptive writing or literary analysis exercise
• Copia exercise where the kids practice changing sentences to make them different
• Copywork from the model story
• Complete the writing project with a written narration.

Much to my surprise, my daughter adores the Copia exercises. She enjoys looking up words in the thesaurus to find words with similar meanings.

And she loves, loves, loves changing the sentences!

Thorough Grammar

The grammar taught in English Lessons Through Literature is thorough. Among the many topics covered, kids are taught about the parts of speech, phrases and clauses, complex sentences, subordinate conjunctions, and diagramming.

Each exercise includes three sentences for the kids to label each part of speech and diagram. I love the labeling exercise! It’s cementing the parts of speech into my children’s heads.

And diagramming three sentences almost every single day has been amazing. My daughter can quickly diagram the sentences, so it doesn’t take a huge amount of time. But because we’re doing it almost every single day, she’s quickly becoming quite skilled at diagramming.

The constant review is allowing her to master the material without being overwhelmed.

Spelling Through Prepared Dictation

I must admit that I wasn’t certain about learning to spell through prepared dictation. And I picked up an alternative spelling program. But when push came to shove, my daughter and I decided to give prepared dictation a try before adding spelling into our day.

In prepared dictation, the child studies the passage for five or ten minutes. And then you read it aloud for dictation. Much to my surprise, we’re enjoying prepared dictation. I read the dictation aloud, watching my daughter closely so I can stop her the minute there’s an error.

The idea is that a child never sees a misspelled word.

And there’s a spelling journal for word analysis if you choose. It allows you to organize the words according to the phonological or spelling rule it follows. I printed it out but haven’t used it yet.

Instead, we simply analyze the unfamiliar words right there on the page.

English Lessons Through Literature D Includes Picture Study

Starting with the 3rd lesson, there is a picture study included in the lessons. The picture studies are a fun change of pace for us and cover 3 artists over the course of the year.

Level D’s artists are:

• Edgar Degas
• Pieter Wenning
• Claude Monet

The picture studies are simple. We study the piece for a few minutes before I take the picture away. Then my daughter describes what she remembers of the picture. I return the piece, we study it for a few more minutes, and then we discuss it together.

It’s a lovely change of pace. And because only 3 artists are studied over the course of the year, it’s easy to supplement with an artist study if you choose.

How the Lessons are Arranged

Most of the lessons in English Lessons Through Literature D follow a similar format.

First, you’re assigned a chapter of the current literature book to read.

My daughter and I are currently reading through Black Beauty after finishing A Book of Dragons by E. Nesbit. The books do not need to be read independently by your child. You can read the books aloud or find an audiobook.

The literature books are in the public domain, so they’re easy to find at the library, on Amazon, at Project Gutenberg, or the Baldwin Project. I have chosen to purchase the books through Amazon.

They’re wonderfully delightful books and ones I see my children and I read over and over again.

Next, there is a short lesson.

The lessons vary throughout the year and week. Sometimes it’s a writing lesson. Often it’s a grammar lesson. The lessons are usually quite short.

Writing techniques are not assigned before they’re taught. For instance in lesson 5, my daughter was taught how to write a condensed narration or summary. The day’s fable was included with the lesson instead of after the poetry.

This meant that we read the fable as part of the lesson and then were walked through the process of how to write a condensed narration. And we were given an example of a condensed narration.

What a help! I love having a concrete example of what’s expected before we begin the writing assignment.

My daughter wrote a condensed narration the next day when we completed lesson 6.

Third, there is a poem.

A poem usually follows the lesson. These poems gave me all sorts of grief when I was trying to figure English Lessons in Literature out. Why would a poem be included without any questions or assignments?

That’s right, the poetry is there to enjoy. You can discuss the poems. Sit down once a week for a poetry tea and read through the week’s poetry. Choose a favorite poem to memorize.

The daily poem has quickly become a beautiful part of our daily homeschool routine.

Fourth, there is a fable.

The first poem of every 6th lesson is a model poem for the upcoming written assignment. So in lesson 1, we read the model fable. In lesson 6, my daughter wrote a condensed narration of the model fable. Words and sentences are also pulled from the model fable for the Copia assignments.

But fables are included in the other lessons too.

Like the poems, the fables are there for you to use or skip as fits the needs of your family.

You can have your child read the fable to themselves and give you an oral narration. You can read the fable out loud and discuss it. Or you can read the fable and move on.

My daughter and I read the fable, chat for a few minutes, and move on. Like poetry, it’s turned into a beautiful part of our daily lessons.

Sometimes a short writing exercise is included

These writing exercises can include Copia, outlines, or oral narrations.

Oral narrations are assigned immediately after the model fable. We haven’t run into outlines yet. They’ll be taught and included later in the year.

The Copia exercises include two types of assignments so far. The first is to use a thesaurus to find synonyms for various words. We ended up using an online thesaurus.

The second type of Copia exercise is changing a sentence. A sentence is assigned and we’re told it needs to be made different in three different ways so far. Later in the curriculum, it will need to be changed in five different ways.

So far the changes are:

• The grammar needs to be changed
• The sentence needs to be condensed
• Use synonyms and antonyms

Much to my surprise, the Copia exercises have been some of my daughter’s favorite assignments. She loves discovering new ways to say things. Or making a sentence completely different by changing a few words.

The Copia exercises are like a word playing game to her!

Next, you have the grammar exercise of the day.

The grammar exercise follows a similar format throughout the year.

So far we review memory work. And then we’re given three sentences from the literature book we’re reading. My daughter double underlines the predicate, underlines the subject, and labels the parts of speech of each word. And only label the parts of speech she’s been taught.

Once that has been done, she’s to diagram each sentence.

The workbook has been invaluable for the exercises. Instead of copying the sentences into her notebook, the sentences are already written down with room for diagramming underneath.

Having the workbook has saved me all sorts of angst!

Last, you have the commonplace book and dictation

The commonplace and dictation passages come from the literature assignment.

The commonplace passage is to be copied into your commonplace book or into the workbook. I’m using the workbook, so the passage is written out in script with lines underneath for my daughter to copy on.

The dictation passage is to be studied before it’s dictated. Since we’re using it for spelling as well, my daughter and I go through the passage looking at the words. We discuss the rules behind the spelling of any word she’s not familiar with. And we talk about the rules of grammar.

When she’s ready, I dictate the passage to her and make any corrections the instant I see an error. The idea is that she should never see a misspelled word. The system is working better than I expected!

Of course, you’re not required to use the passages given. If you prefer, you can always choose your own passages.

Composition

Every 6th lesson is devoted to rewriting the model passage and these lessons are brief.

You’re given the assigned reading in the classic children’s literature book. Then you have a brief explanation of today’s assignment for the lesson.

There is a poem to enjoy but no fable or exercises are included. The commonplace assignment and dictation are also skipped giving kids plenty of time and energy to devote to the writing assignment.

And of course, a brief editing assignment is included in the day’s lesson.

The workbook which goes along with English Lessons Through Literature D is optional. But it makes life so much easier! The exercises, commonplace work, and dictation assignments are written out in the workbook.

So neither my daughter nor myself have to copy the exercise sentences in order to complete the work. Nor does she have to worry about the commonplace assignment.

It’s given to her right in the workbook. In a few years, I would like to switch over to an actual commonplace book. But for now, the workbook has made life so much easier for me!

English Lessons Through Literature is a wonderful language arts curriculum for my daughter and I. It’s challenging without overwhelming her. It includes excellent instruction in grammar and writing. And the reading assignments are beautiful classic children’s literature.

English Lessons Through Literature is an amazing curriculum!

More Information

• English Lessons Through Literature
• Sample Package
• Barefoot Ragamuffins Yahoo Group
• English Lessons Through Literature D
• English Lessons Through Literature D Workbook – Manuscript
• English Lessons Through Literature D Workbook – Basic Italic
• English Lessons Through Literature D Workbook – Cursive Italic
• English Lessons Through Literature D Workbook – Vertical Cursive
• English Lessons Through Literature D Workbook – Slant Cursive

And don’t miss my review of English Lessons Through Literature B !

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Fall is here!

English Lessons Through Literature – Review

Available through Lulu.com and at http://barefootmeandering.com/bookstore.html.

The author of English Lessons Through Literature , Kathy Jo DeVore, was nice enough to send both the Level 3 Book and Workbook for us to review. This is recommended for third to fourth grade students, and I have thoroughly enjoyed her approach to language. The lessons make sense and use her text, together with classic books such as The Story of Dr. Dolittle, The Wonderful Land of Oz and The Secret Garden that are freely available via Kindle and other eBook providers. The simplicity of design and wonderful explanations make English a subject that the kids won’t mind, and the poems and fables she includes will make them want to come back, again and again.

With a subject like this, the lessons can become very dry and dull, turning English into a chore that children avoid like changing the litter box. That is not the case here!

There are 36 weeks of content, with three lessons per week, arranged so that the pace can be altered according to the needs of your kids. It’s very well organized, and easy to follow. Most of the copywork and examples come directly from the recommended books, but if you or your kids simply do not like a book don’t use it. The author’s advice on that is to, “Use the curriculum, don’t let the curriculum use you”. That said, I love the books she chose for this level, and look forward to using this system for our language lessons.

Each lesson has well-defined assignments designed to increase your child’s understanding of the English language in a way that is approachable and interesting . I found her use of poetry, fables and excerpts from the books included in the book a refreshing break from the daily grind, and the way she connects those with the lessons is brilliant. Our twins have really enjoyed reading some of them with me. The resident guinea pigs asked to read more, and if that is not high praise, I don’t know what is.

The lessons include copywork, narration, dictation and picture study. Sentence diagramming is also involved, and before you groan because you hated to do that, just try it with your kids. You will be amazed at how they start to understand how a sentence goes together. The visual learners out there will really appreciate the diagramming, and it’s not so much that you’ll want to run screaming for the hills. The sentences are in the lessons and examples are from real books, and I think this is part of what helps everything connect so well. By using sentences from the book you are currently reading, you end up with a better understanding of grammar used in the real world. We learn first by mimicking our parents, why should we not learn written language by mimicking writing from real books?

The workbook gives plenty of writing space for each of the lesson, with ruled lines and the copywork quotes and sentences all ready to go. It’s definitely worth a look if your kids like to have a workbook to go with their lessons, but it’s listed as optional.

English Lessons Through Literature is a wonderful curriculum, and if you are looking for an interesting, engaging way to teach grammar in your homeschool, I highly recommend this as a resource. Levels one through three are available now, and levels four and five should be available this Fall.

Gail Nelson

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English Lessons Through Literature (and Art)

CHILDHOOD YEARS , HOMESCHOOL , RESOURCES , TEEN YEARS

I don’t often write about specific curriculum here, mostly because I believe children and parents can thrive together in learning at home regardless of the specific tools they choose. Some homes prefer guides that offer specific directives and concrete helps, while others will find the same guides stifling or unfit. There is room for both on this journey, and there is certainly not a right or wrong way to approach learning. I hope the tools I share here are always understood in this context: do what works for your home and forget the rest.

I also love sharing with other parents that for all the writing I do now, I wasn’t very good at grammar or writing as a child. I always loved reading, but I never really unpacked the structure of language or how to write clear, concise sentences until university. In those years, and later while working at a junior college, I learned to seek out the answers I needed in books or colleagues or the Internet. I hope this is an encouragement to lighten the load as parents: our children don’t have to know everything to become who they will. They simply need the desire to seek it out.

That said, I’ve had several people ask me about our language studies, about the materials we use in our home. Naturally, they’ve changed over the years, based on the kids’ ages or what styles best fit us, but I’ve generally looked for materials that introduce and build grammatical concepts in a beautiful way. Language studies, like maths, can leave a bad taste in ones mouth if reduced to worksheets. I wanted my children to enjoy dimension and color in our studies, the practice of structured skills balanced with art. This year, we have used Kathy Jo DeVore’s English Lessons Through Literature  as a foundation for our learning, a curriculum that describes itself as a balance between the thoroughness of classical education and the gentleness of Charlotte Mason. I honestly think it could be applied even more broadly, depending on the home.

Currently, there are five levels of ELTL, loosely corresponding to grade equivalents, although not restrictive in any way. I’ve used three different levels this year: level one for Olive, level three for Blythe, and level four for Burke. Liam’s language studies evolved this year into Latin studies, but that is a different topic for another day. Each level’s lesson builds around a brief book list, which is used for grammar and writing practice. Each level includes poetry, folk tales or fables, and picture narration around famous artists, but everything loops in a way that it doesn’t feel overwhelming. The lessons are substantial but only three per week, so I typically spread them out over 4-5 days, omitting things that might not work or be necessary for us at the time. Grammar studies begin in level two and diagramming in level three. Both are introduced slowly and gently. Although grammar terms were a part of my children’s copywork this year, I think I may have them create memory cards instead for review of terms, like the parts of speech or the various roles of noun. I’ve realized that long gaps between using new terms in any subject area makes it harder for them to recall in practice.

This year, we’ve created notebooks for our language and history/science studies, a simple three-ring binder that contains each child’s writing and illustrations from the their reading. I began this when my children were little but became discouraged at various points in the follow-through and then eventually stopped altogether. After longing for more art work and color in our school work again, we began building little books sporadically last year and more intentionally this academic year. I’m loving flipping back through their work this year, and I imagine they will one day, too.  Jodi Mockabee , an online friend and inspiring homeschool mother, shared more specifics about notebooking in Wild+Free this month. We use many of the same tools and practices. My favorite thing that she does is type and print her children’s narrations for them to hand copy. Genius! For years, I’ve been handwriting their narrations, and this is so much easier.

We set apart a 90 minute block of time at the back part of our morning for independent language studies. It’s not necessary to take 90 minutes (or even 30 per child), but I like not feeling rushed and making time for read-a-loud with each of them. On lighter days, we don’t require as much time, and that feels like a bonus. No one ever complains about extra free time. Wink. I begin with Olive, since she requires the most help from me, and send the other two off to do their reading and begin their writing for the day. Liam is working on his own independent work during this time. I read aloud to Olive, typically a poem or a fable and a chapter of a book we’re reading together. I may have her narrate to me or she’ll pick out a favorite part/line from the story to copy and illustrate. I move on to time with Blythe and Burke. Depending on the day, I sometimes combine their grammar lessons since they’re close in age, introducing something new and giving them each a chance to write a sentence from their individual reading on one of our chalk walls. We label and diagram together. At different points they’ll each narrate to me their independent reading that day. Sometimes that’s their writing practice, other times we just leave it as an oral narration (a test for comprehension). Sometimes I work through building a brief summary or literary analysis with them individually. Although we have a daily block for language, M/W/F tend to be our heavier days, and significantly lighter on T/R. This is helpful for spreading out work over the course of the week. If we don’t get to all of a lesson on one day, or even skip language altogether in a day. We always have space to make for it elsewhere in the week.

OTHER RESOURCES WE’VE LOVED

Punctuation |   Eats, Shoots and Leaves:Why Commas Really do Make a Difference  by Lynn Truss  | A hilarious picture book for children about the purpose of commas. She illustrates the same sentence side-by-side with different comma usage, a helpful visual for adults, too. She also has written a this book for adults  or teens  about punctuation. Truly, she makes it light and fun to learn about the proper place for all punctuation. Also love:  Twenty-Odd Ducks: Why Every Punctuation Mark Counts!  | The Girl’s Like Spaghetti: Why You Can’t Manage Without Apostrophes

Parts of Speech | Any picture book by Brian P. Cleary.  They’re silly and simple, and so helpful for clearly recognizing words in their roles, over and over again. I especially appreciate the Adjective and Adverb books, as those two always seem to get jumbled.

Tags: Art & Nature , English , English Lessons Through Literature , grammar , writing

Bethany, Thank you for this informative post! We are looking at ELTL next year and I had a few questions for you. Are you still using this curriculum? Has it been good for your family for the long haul? Are you noticing your children becoming good writers and readers through this instruction? I am especially interested in what you mentioned about using this in conjunction with Latin. Did you ever write that follow-up blog post? Did the combining of the two have to do with parsing in Latin & English? THANK YOU for sharing your wisdom with the rest of us!

Hi Kristy, I’m so glad this was helpful. We are not currently using ELTL, but only because we took a break from formal grammar instruction. I think it’s a wonderful resource and one that will certainly help guide children to think critically and write well. I still love how it encompasses reading, writing, and grammar all in one resource. As for Latin, the primary gift for my children has been familiarity with diagramming, since it help identify parts of speech and parsing sentences in Latin. I never wrote anything about it. Sigh. Time is so slippery, isn’t it? Perhaps I will one day. Wink.

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I am so intrigued with this style of homeschooling. I homeschooled all my life but it was in a more structured/textbook oriented way. I have a few more years before my children are ready for this (my oldest is 3) but I am enjoying day dreaming/planning for what our homeschool may look like. Question, do you give your children written tests for any subject? And do you report grades or anything like that?

Hi Bethany, I loved this post. I am going to be using ELTL 1 and 2 this year along with RLTL. Did you use workbooks or just have them create notebook sheets? I prefer the latter, just trying to figure out how. I have 6 kids, 12 years down to 6 weeks. We are really simplifying things here and I was very encouraged by this post and also by Jodi’s great ideas. Thank you!!

Hi Liz, we just used the book, and my children created their own narrations, copywork, and illustrations on blank paper. I kept their work in a notebook and made each of them books at the end of the year (which I’ll be sharing soon). Simplifying our use of curriculum and routine has been life-changing for me. You’ll never want to go back. Best to you! x

It was after your and Jodi rec that i bought ELT level 1. What I love about it this curriculum is that ot integrates the actual teaching of the language with lovely literature. It was hars for me to find time to read a loud and now is part of our schedule. I really enjoyed this post! Ir helped me to organize better our days.

I’m so glad to hear this, Andrea. Thank you. And yes, that’s one of my very favorite parts, too.

I love how you incorporate art into your homeschool days, we do things quite similarly here…before we homeschooled our children went to a local Waldorf school. Art is beautifully woven throughout the Waldorf curriculum and it brings so much joy and depth to their learning, so we’ve tried to continue that at home as much as possible. Thanks for your review on English Lessons through Literature…I have been looking at samples of this curriculum for next year…it looks wonderful but I think the levels confuse me. The recommended literature for each level seems quite advanced if the levels were to equal grade in school. I was thinking about level 3 for my upcoming 4th grader….and level 5 for my soon-to-be 7th grader. Any thoughts on level 5 for a 7th grader?

Thank you, Sarah. I’m so fascinated by Waldorf learning and have adapted little bits here and there as we go. Art is one of them. How wonderful that your children had that experience. As for ELTL levels, she uses the numbers loosely. In her intros (which I believe you can read in PDFs), she explains better. From what I can tell, each level is meant loosely for a grade level and up. So level 3 could be used for a third or fourth grader respectively. Level four is for grade four and up, and level five for grade five and up. You know, as with any curriculum, you can adapt to make the work easier or more challenging as you go, so really I think both the levels would be fine. Think of it more in terms of skills than age. How confident is your seventh grader with grammar and writing? I hope this helps!

Thanks for this, Bethany. I’m really almost positive I’ll be getting this for my boys next year. I think I’m going to combine it with Poetry Teatimes and Friday Freewrites per Julie Bogart’s example to create a complete language arts program. I also appreciate the picture book suggestions at the end. I just bookmarked a whole pile of them at the library!

Poetry teatimes sound lovely. I went to a conference with Sally Clarkson a few weeks ago, and it always reorients me toward tea time again and slower paces. I also love your ideas (or Julia’s) of having certain days for specific types of writing. And yes, I always enjoy when I can try on a book at the library first to see how much we connect with it as a family.

Sally is so inspiring, isn’t she? We were inside on a rainy afternoon recently and I’d poured tea and lit the candles on the table when my eight year old boy suggested I read some poetry to them for fun. Sure. :) I love homeschooling!!!

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Learning Language Arts Through Literature Review: Everything You Need to Know

Looking for a thorough and detailed Learing Language Arts Through Literature review?

There is not a lot of information out there about this all-in-one language arts curriculum, so I really wanted to share our experience and get the word out!

It is not a perfect curriculum – which you will know a perfect curriculum doesn’t exist if you read my reviews – but it is definitely the most unique and fun curriculum that we have run across! 

Keep reading to find out:

Why I Switched to Learning Language Arts Through Literature

How a learning language arts through literature lesson works, what we loved about the curriculum, what we didn’t love about the curriculum, what you need to buy to get going with learning language arts through literature.

Last year we tried BJU English with my 4th grader and really like it. I thought it was was really balanced and worked well for our homeschool. 

I purchased everything again for BJU English for this school year…and in less than a month the wheels were coming off my homeschool, you guys. 

It was just way too dry for my squirmy, high energy, creative 2nd grader. It almost felt wrong to put these sentence diagrams in front of her. She was compliant, but I could tell that there was no spark at all for learning in her when we did the lessons.

My 5th grader was also compliant, but I could tell she was getting bored with the format. 

I reached out to our homeschool evaluator and asked for advice. She said all of her girls (now grown and graduated) used Learning Language Arts Through Literature. 

I thought, “ What is that?! I’ve never even heard of it. ”

I did my research and quickly found out about this hidden treasure and ordered my books in less than 48 hours!

Hold Up, What is Learning Language Arts Through Literature?

Learning Language Arts Through Literature (or LLATL) is an all-in-one language arts program for 1st grade – high school.

It includes grammar, phonics, handwriting, vocabulary, spelling, reading, composition, research skills, and higher order thinking. 

The books are also organized by color, which is kind of fun! For example my 5th grader uses “The Purple Book,” and my 2nd grader is using “The Red Book.”

The focus of the program is somewhat obvious: teaching language arts through high quality, classic literature.

All of the above skills are taught from books your child is reading or from portions of those books. 

How a Learning Language Arts Through Literature Lessons Works

I love to share how the lessons actually work in a real homeschool day.

I think it gives you a great snapshot of whether or not this curriculum will fit into your homeschool and if it’s going to work for your kid.

Keep in mind that you can also download sample lessons for all grade levels from the Common Sense Press Website. 

Okay, let’s dive into some lessons!

A Day In The Red Book (2nd Grade)

So the lesson you see above is Day 1 for Lesson (Week) 16 and we will be doing it next week. 

If you zoom in on the page you’ll see that the lesson starts with the teacher reading a story from one of the readers. I usually have my daughter read the story and then I just help her with the words she doesn’t know.

****As a side note these readers are published by Common Sense Press and they are soooo cute! My daughter loves them!

Section B : After the story, there are questions in the teacher’s manual to go over with your child. This is a great reading and/or listening comprehension time. The student usually first gives a summary of the story and then other questions are asked about the story.

Here are today’s questions:

• Is it normal to be excited about something new? Have you ever gotten anything new that you were excited about?
• Turtle and Muskrat were very honest with Beaver. What effect did that have on Beaver?
• How did Otter explain his feelings to Beaver? What did Otter say that helped Beaver?
• Have you ever really liked something that others didn’t like? Did they say hurtful things?
• Do you think you should always give your opinion?

I am actually really excited to go through these questions with my daughter! Definitely an opportunity for some life lessons.

Section C : This is a short lesson about using the -ly suffix and how to add it on to words. The concept is taught using a sentence from the story that was just read.

Section D : A short review of compound words.

Section E : Using a sentence from the story, the student is now going to underline adjectives or “describing words.” She will also practice when to use commas to separate adjectives.

Section F : Your child will now read the words in the Phonics Words Box after reviewing the phonogram /igh/. Then your student will read the sentence on the following page, and fill in the blank with the appropriate word. 

Section G : Woohoo! Your child will now do a hands-on activity!

The story that was read today was about Beaver’s new, big shoes. Your student will draw a pair of shoes on a piece of paper and try to make their picture match the describing words from the story.

Your student will then write the describing words on the picture and separate the words with commas.

Section H : Lastly, the student will end the day by copying four spelling words from the story. 

Depending on a few factors, I would expect this lesson to be 30-40 minutes long.

****Obviously, every day is a little different. Some days are shorter, have different assignments, etc.

A Week In The Purple Book (5th Grade)

The Purple Book is similar to the above lessons, but it is easier to give you an arc of the week, as opposed to just one day. 

Day 1 : Your child will read an excerpt from David Livingstone’s book, The Foe of Darkness , and then she will read the passage to you. You will go over any words she doesn’t know or struggles to read.

You will then dictate a portion of the passage to your student, and they will write it as best they can. When they’re done, they will check their own work for errors. 

The student then works on a spelling rule and spelling words from the passage.

Day 2 : Your student will hunt for compound words in the literature passage and then do a compound word exercise matching words together.

The child will next hunt for personal pronouns in the passage and write them out and the person those pronouns refer to.

Day 3 : Today the student is asked questions about the passage. They are challenged to think it through and write out their answers.

Example question: Why does the chief want his heart to be changed? What is he trying to change?

There is also a vocabulary question where the student is asked to look up “entreaty” in the dictionary and use the definition to answer a question.

Spelling words are reviewed.

Day 4 : A map is provided for the student to fill out and track David Livingstone’s travel through Africa. This is a great review of map skills, but also a wonderful way for kids to visualize what David Livingstone accomplished in his life. 

Spelling words are reviewed again.

Day 5 : Dictation of the passage is done again, a spelling test is given, there is an optional enrichment activity, and there is a worksheet style review of compound words, pronouns, antecedents, and antonyms.

****Depending on your child’s strengths, lesson lengths will vary. For us, they tend to be 20-25 minutes.

Learning Language Arts Through Literature Review: What We Loved!

1. Learning Through Literature

This is such an obvious thing – everybody learns better when a story is involved!

Everything else we have tried before now seems so dull and dry. The stories just really bring the lessons to life and show the practical application of what I’m trying to teach to them, whether it is grammar, phonics, or vocabulary!

2. Book Studies and Book Selection

The book studies have been a huge highlight for us this year! I love that LLATL has my daughter reading classic literature! She loves her tween fantasy books (Percy Jackson, Keeper of the Lost Cities, etc.), so it’s been great to have her broaden her horizons a bit.

This year she is assigned to read Trumpet of the Swan , Caddie Woodlawn , Number the Stars , and Farmer Boy .

I have her read a chapter a day from the assigned book and then we do a book study review when the book is finished. That includes vocabulary checks, discussion questions to go over, and some other enrichment things. The book studies go alongside her normal lessons.

3. Guided Literature Discussion

I love that Learning Language Arts Through Literature prompts you with questions to go through with your kid. Last week, my daughter and I talked for almost 30 minutes about The Trumpet of the Swan and what it’s like to be different. 

The curriculum directed me to share with my daughter times in my life when I’ve felt different and how I handled it. It was such a good discussion!

4. Hands On Language Arts!

I love, love, love, that my 2nd grader is constantly getting out scissors and glue sticks to do her assignments! 

She has made word wheels, drawn pictures, put together little books, and she has even been asked to act out stories that she has read!

As I watching her joyfully act out one of those scenes, I knew that I had made the right decision to switch out our language arts curriculum this year.

5. Regular Review and Assessments

There is a review section at the end of every week and an assessment (aka test) every four weeks. This is less review than we were doing with our previous curriculum, but I think it’s just the right amount for us.

Too much review can be soul crushing for kids over time.

If my kid does miss something on an assessment, that just tells me that I need to review a little more with them on that topic. After years of homeschooling, I am much more relaxed and understand that grammar is taught over and over every year. They will pick it up eventually.

6. Customer Service

I have emailed Common Sense Press (the publisher of LLATL) a couple times and I have been so impressed with their prompt and personal customer service! 

One time I had lost an important paper for the curriculum, and they emailed me a new PDF right away – and they were so nice about it! You can tell it’s a small family business and they value customers. 

7. Facebook Community

I always recommend looking for a FB group for any curriculum you are teaching. There is no sense trying to reinvent the wheel when you could have a sisterhood of homeschool moms at the ready to help you and answer questions!

Blessedly, there is a Facebook group for Learning Language Arts Through Literature. 

It has been so nice to get comments and insight from people who have used the curriculum successfully for years!

What We Didn’t Love About Learning Language Arts Through Literature

1. Lessons Can Be Long

The Purple Book lessons are usually pretty reasonable, but The Red Book Lessons can get long at times.

I have been told that The Red Book is a foundational book though, and we should take our time going through it. It will prepare your child for all of the following books. 

My recommendation to parents who are struggling with the length of the lessons would be to break them up. Remember that it is an all-in-one curriculum, but you don’t have to do it all in one sitting.

For example, tell your kid that you’re just doing grammar and reading right now, and you’ll pick up spelling and handwriting after a break.

2. Lessons Focus on Multiple Things

Our old curriculum had my child focused on one thing for their lesson. For example, they only learned about adjectives one day. Or they only learned about compound predicates for another lesson. 

Learning Language Arts Through Literature has my kid doing multiple concepts in one lesson. One minute we’re talking about compound words, then we’re talking about suffixes, then we jump to reading context words. 

I wonder how that affects their ability to retain the information, but I also tend to think it helps my attention challenged 2nd grader. She gets bored easily, so I sometimes think the constant topic change helps her stay engaged.

FAQ About Learning Language Arts Through Literature

1. How do the book studies fit into the curriculum?

This was a common question I saw in the LLATL Facebook group, so I reached out to the curriculum creators at Common Sense Press for answers. I was not surprised that they quickly and graciously responded:

“The book studies are some of my favorite lessons. While introducing students to great classic literature, they are designed to encourage the love of reading and to develop the life-long practice of using books as springboards for learning.   In most of the course levels, the book studies are part of the 36 weekly lessons. Since students have different reading speeds, we do not normally assign how many chapters to read a day. My general advice is to divide the book into comfortable reading sections throughout the week. Since Mondays and Fridays have a few activities to do, I make those days lighter. For example, if there are 13 chapters in a book, I would have the student read two chapters on Monday, three chapters on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and two chapters on Friday. You can, of course, choose to take longer than one week to complete the book. You’ll just need to set aside a little time for reading alongside the language arts lessons. The book studies stand alone and are not used to teach grammar, punctuation, or writing mechanics. That means you can move the studies anywhere you want in the curriculum. Also, if a student has already read a book, another book may be substituted. We have free books studies on our website to facilitate that. Some of the confusion about the book studies is because in the Purple and Tan books they are supplemental to the course instead of being worked into the 36 weeks.  In the Purple and Tan books, the novels are read alongside the daily lessons, or they can be used during breaks for Christmas or summer reading. Again, you set the pace for completing each study.”

2. How exactly do you do dictation?

This was another common question that I saw homeschool parents asking over and over again, so I also asked the curriculum creators at Common Sense Press to shed some light:

“This is really the foundation of the program. The dictation lessons serve as examples of good writing and also help ground skills in the ‘real world.’ When I dictate, I sit next to the student so that I can be sure to pace my reading to their writing speed and also to calm things down if they start feeling stressed.  I read short sections slowly, and periodically I will tell them that I am going to repeat what I have read so that they can check what they have written and listen more carefully for punctuation clues. After dictation, you can have older students check their work, but with younger students I like to check it with them. Use this time to circle misspelled words to add to their weekly spelling list while identifying the part of the word that they had trouble with, and give any other instruction needed for correct punctuation, grammar, and writing rules. You can find a video of a student taking dictation at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e26WkPOIu5k&t=254s .”

3. I’m obsessed with our current spelling curriculum. Do I have to do the LLATL spelling too?

Nope. 

We had been happily using our spelling curriculum for years before I picked up Learning Language Arts Through Literature. I will either skip the spelling lesson completely in the Student Book, or I will just briefly go over it.

That works just fine for us and doesn’t take away from the overall lessons being taught.

If you have more questions, the FAQ page on the Learning Language Arts Through Literature page is excellent! Definitely check it out.

So, What Exactly Do You Need to Buy For This Language Arts Curriculum?

No matter what grade your child is in, you will need a Student Activity Book and a Teacher Book.

Yes, the Teacher’s Book is necessary. Don’t skip it.

You will have to buy the books separately for the book studies. Those do not come in the curriculum pack. 

The Red Book and the Blue Book have readers that go with them. Make sure that those readers are included in the bundle package when you buy your curriculum.

The Red Book and The Blue Book will also call for your to read certain picture books aloud to your child for a lesson. If you don’t want to buy the books and your library is difficult to work with because of COVID, I would recommend searching the book on Youtube. 

I was shocked to find that there are TONS of channels of people doing nothing but reading children’s books aloud. This has saved me so much time and money, while still helping us complete the lessons.

Where is the best place to buy Learning Language Arts Through Literature?

Rainbow Resource, Christianbook.com, and the Common Sense Press website are all going to give you great deals.

I would recommend that you carefully price compare across the platforms. I originally bought The Red Book Bundle on the Common Sense Press website because it was $30 cheaper than Rainbow Resource.

As I look at the prices now though, I can see that Christianbook.com now has the same bundle for $25 cheaper than what I paid. 

There are lots of deals out there, so make sure you get the best one!

And if you are willing to go looking, Common Sense Press  sells old editions of the curriculum for 50% off . The stock is obviously limited, but it is definitely worth a shot to see if they have the grade-level text you’re looking for. 

If they are still available, you can also buy imperfect books for 50% off ! They are the current edition, but have slight damage that keeps them from being sold at full price (bent cover, etc.).

Recap Learning Language Arts Through Literature Review

I hope you learned everything you wanted to know and more about this treasure of a curriculum!

I really love the heart behind it and the intent of the creators. You can see that they really care about kids, learning, and the love of literature. 

This attitude about learning is a huge piece of what made me want to homeschool my kids. I wanted my kids to be on fire for learning, and I wanted to have rich discussions with them. 

If that’s the kind of homeschool you want to run, then I hope you jump on board and check this curriculum out!

Hello. I am so encouraged to have found your site. I am just starting homeschooling (I grew up homeschooled) so I didn’t really know what I was looking for. I first found your review on The Good and the Beautiful because that was the one I was thinking of doing however after reading your cons I knew it wasn’t a good fit. After reading this review I am confident this curriculum is what I’m looking for. You have saved me SO much time and frustration (and probably my kids)- I am so grateful! Also, thank you for all the extra help/suggestions too. This is by far the best review(s) I have found on any curriculum. Hands down! Thank you so much. 😊

I would like to know your thoughts on the difference between LLATL and The Good and the Beautiful LA, if you have a comparison. I’m doing TGATB with my kids this year, but I’m thinking I might want to switch them to something different this coming school year. Thank you!

I would love to see a comparison between LLATL and another program that is titled, English Lessons Through Literature Secular Level A: Aspiring. Both programs seem to be set up in a similar style. The additional books needed for ELTL can all be found free on the internet because they are in the public domain. Since these two programs are so similar I wonder if it just comes down to personal preference and not one or other being “better”. Perhaps you could shed some light if you do a side by side comparison?

I would also love a side by side comparison, Goldie! Please let me know if you’ve looked into this further.

What a great review! I was very curious about this curriculum.

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Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library

• Collections
• Research Help

YSN Doctoral Programs: Steps in Conducting a Literature Review

• Biomedical Databases
• Global (Public Health) Databases
• Soc. Sci., History, and Law Databases
• Grey Literature
• Trials Registers
• Data and Statistics
• Public Policy
• Google Tips
• Recommended Books
• Steps in Conducting a Literature Review

What is a literature review?

A literature review is an integrated analysis -- not just a summary-- of scholarly writings and other relevant evidence related directly to your research question.  That is, it represents a synthesis of the evidence that provides background information on your topic and shows a association between the evidence and your research question.

A literature review may be a stand alone work or the introduction to a larger research paper, depending on the assignment.  Rely heavily on the guidelines your instructor has given you.

Why is it important?

A literature review is important because it:

• Explains the background of research on a topic.
• Demonstrates why a topic is significant to a subject area.
• Discovers relationships between research studies/ideas.
• Identifies major themes, concepts, and researchers on a topic.
• Identifies critical gaps and points of disagreement.
• Discusses further research questions that logically come out of the previous studies.

APA7 Style resources

APA Style Blog - for those harder to find answers

1. Choose a topic. Define your research question.

Your literature review should be guided by your central research question.  The literature represents background and research developments related to a specific research question, interpreted and analyzed by you in a synthesized way.

• Make sure your research question is not too broad or too narrow.  Is it manageable?
• Begin writing down terms that are related to your question. These will be useful for searches later.
• If you have the opportunity, discuss your topic with your professor and your class mates.

2. Decide on the scope of your review

How many studies do you need to look at? How comprehensive should it be? How many years should it cover? 

• This may depend on your assignment.  How many sources does the assignment require?

3. Select the databases you will use to conduct your searches.

Make a list of the databases you will search. 

Where to find databases:

• use the tabs on this guide
• Find other databases in the Nursing Information Resources web page
• More on the Medical Library web page
• ... and more on the Yale University Library web page

4. Conduct your searches to find the evidence. Keep track of your searches.

• Use the key words in your question, as well as synonyms for those words, as terms in your search. Use the database tutorials for help.
• Save the searches in the databases. This saves time when you want to redo, or modify, the searches. It is also helpful to use as a guide is the searches are not finding any useful results.
• Review the abstracts of research studies carefully. This will save you time.
• Use the bibliographies and references of research studies you find to locate others.
• Check with your professor, or a subject expert in the field, if you are missing any key works in the field.
• Ask your librarian for help at any time.
• Use a citation manager, such as EndNote as the repository for your citations. See the EndNote tutorials for help.

Review the literature

Some questions to help you analyze the research:

• What was the research question of the study you are reviewing? What were the authors trying to discover?
• Was the research funded by a source that could influence the findings?
• What were the research methodologies? Analyze its literature review, the samples and variables used, the results, and the conclusions.
• Does the research seem to be complete? Could it have been conducted more soundly? What further questions does it raise?
• If there are conflicting studies, why do you think that is?
• How are the authors viewed in the field? Has this study been cited? If so, how has it been analyzed?

Tips: 

• Review the abstracts carefully.  
• Keep careful notes so that you may track your thought processes during the research process.
• Create a matrix of the studies for easy analysis, and synthesis, across all of the studies.
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• Last Updated: Jun 20, 2024 9:08 AM
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• UConn Library
• Literature Review: The What, Why and How-to Guide
• Introduction

Literature Review: The What, Why and How-to Guide — Introduction

• Getting Started
• How to Pick a Topic
• Strategies to Find Sources
• Evaluating Sources & Lit. Reviews
• Tips for Writing Literature Reviews
• Writing Literature Review: Useful Sites
• Citation Resources
• Other Academic Writings

What are Literature Reviews?

So, what is a literature review? "A literature review is an account of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and researchers. In writing the literature review, your purpose is to convey to your reader what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. As a piece of writing, the literature review must be defined by a guiding concept (e.g., your research objective, the problem or issue you are discussing, or your argumentative thesis). It is not just a descriptive list of the material available, or a set of summaries." Taylor, D.  The literature review: A few tips on conducting it . University of Toronto Health Sciences Writing Centre.

Goals of Literature Reviews

What are the goals of creating a Literature Review?  A literature could be written to accomplish different aims:

• To develop a theory or evaluate an existing theory
• To summarize the historical or existing state of a research topic
• Identify a problem in a field of research 

Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1997). Writing narrative literature reviews .  Review of General Psychology , 1 (3), 311-320.

What kinds of sources require a Literature Review?

• A research paper assigned in a course
• A thesis or dissertation
• A grant proposal
• An article intended for publication in a journal

All these instances require you to collect what has been written about your research topic so that you can demonstrate how your own research sheds new light on the topic.

Types of Literature Reviews

What kinds of literature reviews are written?

Narrative review: The purpose of this type of review is to describe the current state of the research on a specific topic/research and to offer a critical analysis of the literature reviewed. Studies are grouped by research/theoretical categories, and themes and trends, strengths and weakness, and gaps are identified. The review ends with a conclusion section which summarizes the findings regarding the state of the research of the specific study, the gaps identify and if applicable, explains how the author's research will address gaps identify in the review and expand the knowledge on the topic reviewed.

• Example : Predictors and Outcomes of U.S. Quality Maternity Leave: A Review and Conceptual Framework:  10.1177/08948453211037398  

Systematic review : "The authors of a systematic review use a specific procedure to search the research literature, select the studies to include in their review, and critically evaluate the studies they find." (p. 139). Nelson, L. K. (2013). Research in Communication Sciences and Disorders . Plural Publishing.

• Example : The effect of leave policies on increasing fertility: a systematic review:  10.1057/s41599-022-01270-w

Meta-analysis : "Meta-analysis is a method of reviewing research findings in a quantitative fashion by transforming the data from individual studies into what is called an effect size and then pooling and analyzing this information. The basic goal in meta-analysis is to explain why different outcomes have occurred in different studies." (p. 197). Roberts, M. C., & Ilardi, S. S. (2003). Handbook of Research Methods in Clinical Psychology . Blackwell Publishing.

• Example : Employment Instability and Fertility in Europe: A Meta-Analysis:  10.1215/00703370-9164737

Meta-synthesis : "Qualitative meta-synthesis is a type of qualitative study that uses as data the findings from other qualitative studies linked by the same or related topic." (p.312). Zimmer, L. (2006). Qualitative meta-synthesis: A question of dialoguing with texts .  Journal of Advanced Nursing , 53 (3), 311-318.

• Example : Women’s perspectives on career successes and barriers: A qualitative meta-synthesis:  10.1177/05390184221113735

Literature Reviews in the Health Sciences

• UConn Health subject guide on systematic reviews Explanation of the different review types used in health sciences literature as well as tools to help you find the right review type
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• Last Updated: Sep 21, 2022 2:16 PM
• URL: https://guides.lib.uconn.edu/literaturereview

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English Lessons Through Literature: A Beautiful Blend of Charlotte Mason and Classical Styles

Published: June 1, 2015

Contributor: Sarah Shelton

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more info.

Have you heard of Barefoot Ragamuffin Curricula ?

Two years ago we stumbled upon Barefoot Ragamuffin Curriculum written by Kathy Jo Devore! I was first drawn to the name as my husband always jokes that I am a barefoot hippie! We were so impressed with the quality and style of this beautiful Charlotte Mason Curriculum with a Classical Twist! I have been a Charlotte Mason Style Homeschooler for years now, before the Charlotte Mason Style I used quite a few history books that had a classical style to them. I was excited to find that English Lessons Through Literature incorporates both styles! It’s the best of both homeschooling worlds! I loved this program so much, that last year I dumped EVERYTHING that I was using for Language Arts and English and switched over to English Lessons Through Literatur e. Description from Barefoot Ragamuffin Curriculum : English Lessons Through Literature is a unique program which combines the gentleness of Charlotte Mason’s methods with the thoroughness of modern classical methods. Traditional, proven methods are used to give children a firm foundation in all core language arts areas: grammar and mechanics, writing, penmanship, spelling, vocabulary, and of course, literature. Picture studies, poetry, and Aesop’s fables are also included.

Let me tell you a little bit about the program and why we love it!  There are two books to this program, a teacher edition and a student workbook. I prefer the digital edition as you can view the teacher’s manual with the full colored pictures and answer key on one device. The book is quite large and would take up a lot of room on a bookshelf! The student workbook can be purchased in print form or digital. You can have your children copy their work into their own notebook from the digital version, or you can print their own book or purchase the printed version. I prefer printing the pages from the PDF, so they can use the lines and diagram lines in the upper grades. It just makes it easier for me, then I can use it for all my children as they progress!

What I love about ELTL  is that books are scheduled into the program for you! There are many Charlotte Mason style Language Arts Curricula that do not include readers into the lessons, so you have the CM style, but you still need to find books on your own. There are other programs that include books, but they are so expensive and cost a fortune for a complete program. All of the books that are chosen for this program are classical works of literature that can all be found for free on the public domain! Each lesson tells you what chapter needs to be read before completing the lesson. Now, if you have a strong reader they can just read the chapter on their own and then work on their lesson. If you have a child that needs to be read to, you will read the chapter aloud to them. 

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I had a dilemma because I have one daughter using Level 1 who couldn’t read on her own yet, and another daughter using Level 3 who is dyslexic and struggled with reading. I can honestly tell you that I do not like to read outloud. That’s tough for a homeschool mom! I should love it, but I don’t. Especially multiple times a day. It would take us hours to get our work done with multiple ages. Kathy Jo suggested using Librivox for the books. I downloaded the app to my Kindle Fire which we use specifically for school, and downloaded every book that I needed. My girls take turns listening to their chapter and then going to sit down and do their work. When one is listening, the other child is working on something else and vice versa. Most books have a couple of free versions to choose from. You can listen to a sample and see if you like the reader’s voice. Some voices we didn’t like. My girls specifically like one that has a sweet Grandma voice and anything that is British. Who doesn’t like a British voice reading to you?!

After the chapter is read (or listened to) it is time to do the work. The lessons includes copywork, dictation, narration, picture study and grammar exercises that incorporate sentences or passages from what they just read. Starting in Level 3, they begin to diagram sentences. This is the first Charlotte Mason style program that I have found that incorporates diagramming. It is very thorough and very Classical. There are also poems and Aesop’s fables that are to be read aloud to the student. These are short and sweet, and do not take long at all. I actually enjoy reading them to my children. 

Picture Study is sprinkled in throughout the curriculum. The digital versions have beautiful prints in full color. This is why we love to look at it on our Kindle so they can see the full color version. Printed versions have the prints in black and white to save the cost of printing the books.

In the early levels, narration is done by drawing pictures of what they learned and read. My 7 yo LOVES this! It is her favorite part of the curriculum. Every page that has copywork on it has a huge space to draw a picture of what they learned from the story. These are a fun keepsake! Copywork includes excerpts from the stories they have read, or poems, Aesop’s Fables and even Maxims and Bible verses using the NASB version. The upper levels have written lines for the student to do written narration, there is also a smaller space at the top if they would still like to draw a picture. 

The Grammar is a lot more thorough and complete than other Charlotte Mason Style programs I have found. It is still gentle in it’s instruction, but I feel like it is covered in a very thorough manner. It progresses with each level. Composition and Spelling are naturally included when the student is exposed to the Literature and as they begin their narration and dictation exercises. 

One of my favorite parts of this program is that it is only done THREE days a week! This was such a blessing to us! I use the other 2 days of the week to plug in Science or History. It’s a nice break, keeps the lessons short ala Charlotte Mason Style, and doesn’t have us doing school ALL day long!

To make this a COMPLETE program you will need to have Handwriting and a Reading program. Luckily, Barefoot Meandering provides these as well.  Handwriting Lessons through Literature and Reading Lessons Through Literature . These use Webster’s Syllabary and phonograms using the Orton Gillingham Method. There are multiple handwriting fonts to choose from in manuscript, cursive or italic. Reading Lessons through Literature also include the Elson Readers into the curriculum.

• Charlotte Mason
• language arts

Sarah Shelton

Sarah is a wife, daughter of the King and Mama to 4 children (two homeschool graduates) She is a an eclectic, Charlotte Mason style homeschooler that has been homeschooling for over 20 years.. She is still trying to find the balance between work and keeping a home and gardens. She can only do it by the Grace of God, coffee and green juice

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English Lessons Through Literature Levels 1 And 2

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Methodology

• How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

Published on January 2, 2023 by Shona McCombes . Revised on September 11, 2023.

What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic .

There are five key steps to writing a literature review:

• Search for relevant literature
• Evaluate sources
• Identify themes, debates, and gaps
• Outline the structure
• Write your literature review

A good literature review doesn’t just summarize sources—it analyzes, synthesizes , and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.

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Table of contents

What is the purpose of a literature review, examples of literature reviews, step 1 – search for relevant literature, step 2 – evaluate and select sources, step 3 – identify themes, debates, and gaps, step 4 – outline your literature review’s structure, step 5 – write your literature review, free lecture slides, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions, introduction.

• Quick Run-through
• Step 1 & 2

When you write a thesis , dissertation , or research paper , you will likely have to conduct a literature review to situate your research within existing knowledge. The literature review gives you a chance to:

• Demonstrate your familiarity with the topic and its scholarly context
• Develop a theoretical framework and methodology for your research
• Position your work in relation to other researchers and theorists
• Show how your research addresses a gap or contributes to a debate
• Evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of the scholarly debates around your topic.

Writing literature reviews is a particularly important skill if you want to apply for graduate school or pursue a career in research. We’ve written a step-by-step guide that you can follow below.

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See an example

Writing literature reviews can be quite challenging! A good starting point could be to look at some examples, depending on what kind of literature review you’d like to write.

• Example literature review #1: “Why Do People Migrate? A Review of the Theoretical Literature” ( Theoretical literature review about the development of economic migration theory from the 1950s to today.)
• Example literature review #2: “Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines” ( Methodological literature review about interdisciplinary knowledge acquisition and production.)
• Example literature review #3: “The Use of Technology in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Thematic literature review about the effects of technology on language acquisition.)
• Example literature review #4: “Learners’ Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Chronological literature review about how the concept of listening skills has changed over time.)

You can also check out our templates with literature review examples and sample outlines at the links below.

Download Word doc Download Google doc

Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined topic .

If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research paper, you will search for literature related to your research problem and questions .

Make a list of keywords

Start by creating a list of keywords related to your research question. Include each of the key concepts or variables you’re interested in, and list any synonyms and related terms. You can add to this list as you discover new keywords in the process of your literature search.

• Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok
• Body image, self-perception, self-esteem, mental health
• Generation Z, teenagers, adolescents, youth

Search for relevant sources

Use your keywords to begin searching for sources. Some useful databases to search for journals and articles include:

• Your university’s library catalogue
• Google Scholar
• Project Muse (humanities and social sciences)
• Medline (life sciences and biomedicine)
• EconLit (economics)
• Inspec (physics, engineering and computer science)

You can also use boolean operators to help narrow down your search.

Make sure to read the abstract to find out whether an article is relevant to your question. When you find a useful book or article, you can check the bibliography to find other relevant sources.

You likely won’t be able to read absolutely everything that has been written on your topic, so it will be necessary to evaluate which sources are most relevant to your research question.

For each publication, ask yourself:

• What question or problem is the author addressing?
• What are the key concepts and how are they defined?
• What are the key theories, models, and methods?
• Does the research use established frameworks or take an innovative approach?
• What are the results and conclusions of the study?
• How does the publication relate to other literature in the field? Does it confirm, add to, or challenge established knowledge?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?

Make sure the sources you use are credible , and make sure you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field of research.

You can use our template to summarize and evaluate sources you’re thinking about using. Click on either button below to download.

Take notes and cite your sources

As you read, you should also begin the writing process. Take notes that you can later incorporate into the text of your literature review.

It is important to keep track of your sources with citations to avoid plagiarism . It can be helpful to make an annotated bibliography , where you compile full citation information and write a paragraph of summary and analysis for each source. This helps you remember what you read and saves time later in the process.

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To begin organizing your literature review’s argument and structure, be sure you understand the connections and relationships between the sources you’ve read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:

• Trends and patterns (in theory, method or results): do certain approaches become more or less popular over time?
• Themes: what questions or concepts recur across the literature?
• Debates, conflicts and contradictions: where do sources disagree?
• Pivotal publications: are there any influential theories or studies that changed the direction of the field?
• Gaps: what is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed?

This step will help you work out the structure of your literature review and (if applicable) show how your own research will contribute to existing knowledge.

• Most research has focused on young women.
• There is an increasing interest in the visual aspects of social media.
• But there is still a lack of robust research on highly visual platforms like Instagram and Snapchat—this is a gap that you could address in your own research.

There are various approaches to organizing the body of a literature review. Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed chronologically).

Chronological

The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However, if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order.

Try to analyze patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred.

If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.

For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural attitudes, legal status, and economic access.

Methodological

If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research methods , you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different approaches. For example:

• Look at what results have emerged in qualitative versus quantitative research
• Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus theoretical scholarship
• Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources

Theoretical

A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework . You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.

You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or combine various theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.

Like any other academic text , your literature review should have an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion . What you include in each depends on the objective of your literature review.

The introduction should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the literature review.

Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide the body into subsections. You can use a subheading for each theme, time period, or methodological approach.

As you write, you can follow these tips:

• Summarize and synthesize: give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
• Analyze and interpret: don’t just paraphrase other researchers — add your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole
• Critically evaluate: mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources
• Write in well-structured paragraphs: use transition words and topic sentences to draw connections, comparisons and contrasts

In the conclusion, you should summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance.

When you’ve finished writing and revising your literature review, don’t forget to proofread thoroughly before submitting. Not a language expert? Check out Scribbr’s professional proofreading services !

This article has been adapted into lecture slides that you can use to teach your students about writing a literature review.

Scribbr slides are free to use, customize, and distribute for educational purposes.

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If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question .

It is often written as part of a thesis, dissertation , or research paper , in order to situate your work in relation to existing knowledge.

There are several reasons to conduct a literature review at the beginning of a research project:

• To familiarize yourself with the current state of knowledge on your topic
• To ensure that you’re not just repeating what others have already done
• To identify gaps in knowledge and unresolved problems that your research can address
• To develop your theoretical framework and methodology
• To provide an overview of the key findings and debates on the topic

Writing the literature review shows your reader how your work relates to existing research and what new insights it will contribute.

The literature review usually comes near the beginning of your thesis or dissertation . After the introduction , it grounds your research in a scholarly field and leads directly to your theoretical framework or methodology .

A literature review is a survey of credible sources on a topic, often used in dissertations , theses, and research papers . Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other  academic texts , with an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion .

An  annotated bibliography is a list of  source references that has a short description (called an annotation ) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a  paper .  

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English Lessons Through Literature Level A - PDF

By Kathy Jo DeVore

Specifications

Ratings & reviews.

barefoot ragamuffin curricula

Reading & spelling through literature.

The program formerly known as RLTL is getting an update! The new name is R eading & Spelling Through Literature –RSTL. Please be patient with me as we go through this process! RSTL books are/will be 8.5 x 11 in size. Currently you will find A MIXTURE of old and new books available. I’ll update the photo of the book when I update the links in the bookstore so that you can always see which title the book has on the cover! And see our FAQ for more information on how RSTL is changing.

_______________________________________________

See the sample package at Lulu.com.

Links to all RLTL editions are in our bookstore.

Reading Lessons Through Literature is an Orton phonogram reading program, and like other Orton phonogram programs, it focuses on teaching reading through spelling, which makes it ideal for teaching either reading or spelling. This may sound odd if you’re not familiar with the process. Think of it like this: Other reading programs present new words to read in each lesson. With RLTL, children are not only presented new words to read, they also learn to write them down and analyze their spelling.

First children learn the basic phonograms; Reading Lessons Through Literature teaches 75 basic phonograms. After children have learned the first 26 phonograms (the letters of the alphabet), they begin writing spelling words, analyzing them, and reading them for practice. And finally, they begin to read stories which include the words they’ve learned.

• In each level, the spelling lists are organized around stories in The Elson Readers and padded with additional words from the Ayres list–a list of 1,000 of the most common words in English. The four levels include a total of 2,410 words, including the entire Ayres list.
• Each level includes instructional material, spelling lists, and one of The Elson Readers . Level 1 contains the Elson Readers Primer; Level 2 contains the Elson Readers Book 1; Level 3 contains the Elson Readers Book 2; and Level 4 contains the Elson Readers Book 3.
• Children learn to decode words incrementally. In the Elson Readers Primer (Level 1), multi-letter phonograms are underlined and multi-syllable words are separated between syllables to help the beginning reader. In the Elson Readers Book 1 (Level 2), multi-syllable words are separated between syllables.

What’s different about Reading Lessons Through Literature?

• RLTL is designed to be a pick-up-and-go program. There are about ten pages of introductory/explanatory material to read before beginning to teach.
• The spelling lists are organized around the stories in The Elson Readers .
• Since each level contains the complete text of one of The Elson Readers , there are no additional readers to purchase.
• Since children are presented with a variety of words from the beginning, there are no fat rats sitting on mats.

Workbook and Copywork

RLTL has an optional workbook which doubles as handwriting instruction, integrating handwriting and reading instruction. The workbook is available in your choice of four handwriting fonts.*

In the workbook, children learn to read and write both the phonograms and Webster’s syllabary, which reinforces proper spelling, and the same pages can be used from year to year for additional practice in handwriting and spelling. The workbook teaches 75 phonograms, capital letters, Webster’s syllabary, and numbers. It also includes phonemic awareness exercises, built-in phonogram review and quizzes, and some spelling words from RLTL Level 1. These extra activities are geared toward the child just beginning to learn to read, though please keep in mind that the additional reading activities are not a necessary component to RLTL.

For older students who are using RLTL primarily for spelling, our Handwriting Lessons Through Literature can be used as a workbook while learning the phonograms in Reading Lessons Through Literature . HLTL covers the same material–phonograms and syllabary–as the RLTL Workbook but without the additional exercises intended for beginning readers. You can read about it here.

(UPDATED!) In addition to the workbook, we have copywork books for each level which contain 1-2 pages of copywork from each story of the corresponding Elson Reader . These copywork books are completely optional; they are not a necessary component of RLTL. Keep in mind that before beginning copywork, children should be able to at least sound out the words comfortably, so it would be best to add this copywork book after students have already started the readers. It would work beautifully as a first copywork book since the child would be familiar with both the words and the stories themselves.

* Our programs support five different handwriting choices, but since the RLTL workbook is intended solely as a child’s first handwriting book, it does not include italic cursive since italic writing begins with basic and transitions to cursive.

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English Lessons Through Literature Level E: Enlightening Paperback – September 4, 2017

• Print length 556 pages
• Language English
• Publication date September 4, 2017
• Dimensions 8.5 x 1.26 x 11 inches
• ISBN-10 1545303126
• ISBN-13 978-1545303122
• See all details

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (September 4, 2017)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 556 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1545303126
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1545303122
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.05 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 1.26 x 11 inches
• #1,565 in Counseling Education

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