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Mastery-based homeschool language arts programs, compared

4 programs, listed alphabetically, each with its grades, method, format and cost a year as the publisher’s own site showed them on October 31, 2026. Open a card for the strengths, the watch-outs and who it fits.

What this list holds

Mastery programs teach one skill until it is secure before moving to the next, instead of mixing many topics into each lesson.

Language arts covers writing, grammar, spelling, handwriting and literature. Few programs do all of it, so families often combine two or three: one for writing, one for spelling, and a handwriting book.

This list holds programs sold for language arts on their own. Full curricula that teach it along with every other subject are on homeschool all-in-one curricula.

At a glance

  • 2 of the 4 show a price on the publisher's site. For one child and one year of the main package they run from free to $69.95, and 1 is free.
  • How the child works: 3 books and workbooks, 1 on screen.
  • 1 of the 4 has a placement test or level guide on the publisher's site, linked on each card.
  • Grades: 2 reach pre-K or kindergarten, all reach the elementary grades, all reach middle school and 2 reach high school.

Grades each program covers

All About Spelling
  1. PK
  2. K
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
Khan Academy
  1. PK
  2. K
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
Kumon workbooks
  1. PK
  2. K
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
Spelling Power
  1. PK
  2. K
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
Alphabetical, as the table below. Each row lights the grades the publisher states.
Which grades are you shopping for?

2 of the 4 reach pre-K or kindergarten:

  • Khan Academy Kindergarten to 12th grade, plus early college courses
  • Kumon workbooks Pre-K to 8th grade across the workbook lines; Kumon Ace covers 1st to 4th grade

All 4 reach the elementary grades:

  • All About Spelling Levels 1 to 7, designed for elementary and middle school (about 1st to 8th grade); most children start at Level 1
  • Khan Academy Kindergarten to 12th grade, plus early college courses
  • Kumon workbooks Pre-K to 8th grade across the workbook lines; Kumon Ace covers 1st to 4th grade
  • Spelling Power 3rd grade to adult, once a child is about 8 and reads at a 2nd grade level

All 4 reach middle school:

  • All About Spelling Levels 1 to 7, designed for elementary and middle school (about 1st to 8th grade); most children start at Level 1
  • Khan Academy Kindergarten to 12th grade, plus early college courses
  • Kumon workbooks Pre-K to 8th grade across the workbook lines; Kumon Ace covers 1st to 4th grade
  • Spelling Power 3rd grade to adult, once a child is about 8 and reads at a 2nd grade level

2 of the 4 reach high school:

  • Khan Academy Kindergarten to 12th grade, plus early college courses
  • Spelling Power 3rd grade to adult, once a child is about 8 and reads at a 2nd grade level
Alphabetical. We never rank programs, and none pays to appear.
ProgramSubjectsGradesMethodFormatCost a yearFaith label
All About SpellingAll About Learning PressLanguage arts1–8MasteryBooks and workbooks$69.95Secular
Khan AcademyKhan AcademyMath, Language arts, Science, History and geographyK–12MasteryOn screenFreeSecular
Kumon workbooksKumon PublishingMath, Reading and phonics, Language artsPre-K–8MasteryBooks and workbooksNot shownNot labelled
Spelling PowerSpelling PowerLanguage arts3–12MasteryBooks and workbooksNot shownNot labelled

Each program in a line

  • All About Spelling: A parent who wants a scripted, step-by-step spelling program that explains the rules, for a child who already reads.
  • Khan Academy: A family that wants free, self-paced practice in math and other core subjects, with a parent who is happy to choose the courses and check progress on a dashboard.
  • Kumon workbooks: A family that wants low-cost, short daily practice on paper for one skill at a time beside another curriculum.
  • Spelling Power: A family with several children who wants one spelling book that adjusts to each child for years.

Before you buy

Placement matters more than usual, because levels follow skills rather than grades. Ask how the program reviews earlier skills once they are mastered.

Check what each level teaches and whether the parent needs to grade the writing. Writing programs differ most in how much the parent coaches; spelling programs differ in whether they teach rules or patterns.

Most publishers post samples and a placement test; each card links the placement test where the publisher has one.

Related lists

How we label

Every fact on a card was read on the publisher's own website on the date shown, and the page it came from is linked. A fact we could not confirm there is left out. Costs are for one child and one year of the main package, as the publisher's page showed them that day; prices and sales change. Method and format are the publisher's own description where it gives one. The only thing we say about religion is one label, secular or faith-based, given by the rule above; where the publisher's pages don't settle it, the card has no label.

No affiliate links, no sponsored places, no ranking. Something wrong or out of date? Send a correction; publishers can send corrections, never money.