Homeschool Language Arts Options for Dyslexia and ADHD

Let’s discuss homeschool language arts curriculum options for dyslexia and ADHD. Maybe you’re sick and tired of bleeding cash on a curriculum that ends up being a total failure halfway into September. If you want to avoid the endless money pit searching for the next best homeschool language arts curriculum, read on. Today I’m going to:

1. Walk you through a process to help you choose the best homeschool curriculum for your unique child (and save you some cash),
2. Then, veteran homeschool moms share their top homeschool language arts curriculum choices for kids with learning differences. 

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a nominal fee from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support. See my disclosure policy for more info.

Give Up the Best Curriculum Pipedream

Here’s the thing. To choose the right tools for your family’s homeschool journey, it’s critical to look at the child in front of you. If you get nothing else from this post, remember this.

The “Best” Homeschool Curriculums Aren’t Necessarily

Even the best homeschool programs aren’t necessarily the best. Let’s take All About Reading, an extremely popular homeschool reading program.

It’s based on the Orton Gillingham approach to reading instruction. In my opinion, it’s a solid curriculum for all types of learners including those with dyslexia. As an educator and a momma on a soapbox about language processing issues, I love All About Learning.

However, this doesn’t mean that it’s the be-all-end-all curriculum. And it certainly doesn’t mean it is the best homeschool language arts curriculum for every child. The reality is that there will be pros and cons to any homeschool curriculum that you choose.

Ultimately, that includes some of the best programs out there. Specifically, All About Reading and the other beloved homeschool favorite, Math U See.

Cons of The Best Homeschool Curriculum

1. All About Reading
   • Can be time-consuming which may be challenging for a child with a limited attention span,
     
2. Math U See
   • Can be monotonous for kids who need more variety to stay engaged.
     • Engagement is everything in learning.

On the other hand, both programs are effective and include hands-on manipulatives that appeal to kinesthetic learners.

All About Reading and Math U See are both fantastic homeschool programs. But, neither will be perfect for every child and family. This is why we have to stop looking for the perfect homeschool curriculum. It doesn’t exist.

For a more detailed review of Math U See, check out: The Best Homeschool Math For Struggling Students.

Ask Questions About Your Child

When choosing a homeschool curriculum, it’s essential to get to know your child. The first thing you need to do is stop and think about the exact child you’re trying to educate.

When moms approach me asking how to choose the best curriculum, I always circle back with specific questions.

1. What subjects does your child do well in?
   
2. Which subjects does he struggle with?
   
3. Are there any subjects that your child particularly enjoys?
   
4. Which concepts cause tears regularly?
   
5. What is she most interested in?
   • For kids who struggle with learning or taking direction, pairing their interests with learning objectives can make all the difference.

As basic as these questions seem, the answers are essential to making a worthwhile choice for everyone involved.

Identify Learning Styles

Dive more deeply into your child’s (and your own) learning style. This will help you identify the root causes behind learning struggles.

Additionally, understanding your child’s learning style will help you identify the reasons behind school resistance.

To identify learning styles, it’s best to ask specific questions that uncover strengths and weaknesses.

• How does your child learn? How is she wired?
  
  • Is your child constantly talking?
    • (Verbal Processors have difficulty learning through passive listening and often need to engage in dialogue to best understand concepts.)
      
  • Does your kid incessantly flip, fall out of chairs, climb, etc…?
    • (A kinesthetic learner needs to engage in movement to learn best.)
      
  • Is she constantly doodling?
    • (This child is likely wired to learn through drawing.)
      
  • Zoning out when passively listening?
    • (This child may need to engage in a mindless activity to zero in on auditory information).

By doing this, you’re armed with essential information. This will help you choose your child’s best homeschool language arts curriculum. Consider taking this learning style quiz for kids to help further.

What’s The Best Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum?

Below you’ll find some of the best homeschool language arts curricula for dyslexia and ADHD.

These programs are beneficial for neurodivergent learners (ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, and dysgraphia). Veteran homeschool moms share their favorite programs, and they tell you why.

1. Master Books

Melissa Cochran, M.Ed., is a former principal, reading specialist, and kindergarten teacher. She homeschools two Autistic teens. They each navigate:

• ADHD,
• PTSD,
• Anxiety,
• Sensory Processing Disorder,
• and PDD (Persistent Depressive Disorder).

According to Melissa,

Master Books curriculum is open-and-go. It’s written to the student. Additionally, i’s easy for new homeschoolers to use without feeling overwhelmed.

Master Books for Dyslexia

Heather also uses Master Books with her son. Her son has dyslexia and ADHD. He also lives life with:

• OCD
• Anxiety
• Dysgraphia
• PANS

Master Books is this homeschool mom’s favorite. She loves that it’s Christ-centered with a Charlotte Mason approach.

It’s not strenuous which makes it approachable for my son.

Heather also points out how Master Books is great for kids with dysgraphia because isn’t heavy on pencil paperwork. She specifically likes Master Books phonics and reading. In her words,

“It’s focused on letters and sounds rather than sight words.”

Master Books for Kids With ADHD

According to Janelle, homeschool mom of 3, Master Books has been a great resource for her ADHD homeschool.

I just switched to Master Books and so far, I am loving the look of it!! We’re starting with Language Arts for A Living Education and I’m excited.

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Orton Gillingham Language Arts Curriculum Options

As mentioned earlier, Orton-Gillingham homeschool programs are designed for children with dyslexia. Here are a few recommendations that you may want to consider depending on your student’s needs.

2. Logic of English

Beckye Barnes, a homeschool mom and an educational advocate, loves Logic of English. She uses the program with her two teen boys. They each learn differently and have diagnoses of:

• Autism
• Dyslexia
• ADHD
• Dysgraphia
• School-related PTSD

Logic of English amazing and is available both online and in print. It’s based on the science of reading which makes it an excellent program with kids with dyslexia.

Finding the right homeschool language arts curriculum has been a challenge. However, Beckye loves Logic of English.

3. All About Reading & All About Spelling

Colleen is a homeschool mom of four kids, each one with learning challenges including dyslexia and ADHD. Her favorite homeschool reading program is All About Reading.

Colleen modifies All About Reading to fit the needs of her child. Simply by slowing down the pace, she makes it work.

My dyslexic son is doing well with All About Reading. And even though it’s made for dyslexia, we still do it at a slower pace.

Colleen says that she loves the fact that her son’s kinesthetic learning style is used in

Physically moving the letter tiles, my son can now see that the ending or beginning sounds stay the same.

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In the end, she says her struggling reader was thrilled when he finally read an entire story from the AAR reader. All About Reading has boosted her son’s confidence and made learning to read more fun!

More Orton-Gillingham Homeschool Curriculum

Beckye Barnes also recommends several other programs for struggling readers. Each uses the Orton-Gillingham method and starts at the foundations of phonemic awareness. She recommends any of the following programs:

• Barton
• Wilson
• Toe by Toe

She also recommends two online language arts programs, Nessy and Teach Your Monster to Read. They’re fine options for kids with dyslexia as they’re based on the science of reading.

Other Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum Choices

Here are some other homeschool language arts curriculum options that Crystal and Kara recommend.

Both ladies have children who have learning challenges. Collectively, their kids have Autism, ADHD, and language processing challenges such as dyslexia.

4. Collections Close Reader

I like Collections Close Reader for Language Arts. My girl hates reading, listening, writing, etc. and this has collections of short stories.

There are short questions and vocabulary sprinkled throughout the stories.

It can be done in small chunks even if a student can’t finish a whole short story.

Crystal, homeschool mom of 2, Autism & ADHD

5. Rod and Staff Grammar

Kara, an adoptive mom of two sons with multiple learning challenges, offers her favorite grammar curriculum.

For grammar, we love Rod and Staff Grammar because it gives clear examples.

It also includes sentence diagramming which forces kids to learn the parts of speech and how to use them.

She highlights the importance of short lessons to maximize learning for ADHD kids.

I also like that they give short exercises that are to the point, not just busywork.

Kara also recommends purchasing the Rod and Staff teacher’s manual. She says it gives easy-to-understand examples that her kids can relate to.

6. Classical Academic Press- Writing & Rhetoric

Kara continues about her favorite homeschool writing curriculum for her boys. She loves Classical Academic Press’ Writing and Rhetoric.

We can go at our own pace, which is important right now. If we can’t finish an entire lesson in a day, we break lessons into two smaller ones.

Kara likes that Writing and Rhetoric are concrete. However, the writing program allows her kids to think deeply about concepts because they are presented in smaller chunks. This allows her boys to better process the information.

Kara mentions that her son often writes long, involved “paragraphs” with tons of details, but without cohesive meaning.

This is a huge indication of an underlying language processing issue that often needs to be explicitly addressed. Check out Reading, Writing & Relationships to learn more.

7. Christian Light Homeschool Language Arts

Christian Light Language Arts homeschool curriculum is one of my favorites. It’s a program that tends to lie low in advertising, but it packs a mighty punch.

Highlights of Christian Light homeschool curriculum are that it’s:

• Student-driven: It’s written for the student to work through on their own.
  • There are small checkboxes throughout each lesson to guide the student.
  • Who doesn’t love to mark off checkboxes? (Wait? Is that just me?)
    
• Small Chunks of Teaching: Each grade level is broken into 10 small workbooks.
  • This allows kids to have small attainable goals throughout the year.
  • Kids feel a sense of accomplishment when they finish a workbook. This helps with motivation.
    
• Comprehensive: Once your child is reading, this program can stand alone for several years. It includes:
  • grammar (with simple sentence diagramming beginning in second grade),
  • spelling,
  • vocabulary, and
  • penmanship.

Recap: The Best Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

Ultimately, the goal is long-term learning, right? If that’s the case, it only makes sense to use a homeschool curriculum that supports your child’s unique learning needs.

• ADHD
• Autism
• Dyslexia
• Dysgraphia
• Slow Processing Speed
• Speech and Language Issues (Auditory Processing Disorder)
• or no diagnosis at all

Choose your child’s curriculum based on their needs and learning style. Like all things, no homeschool language arts curriculum will be perfect. A resource may be an excellent fit for one season, but not another.

This is to be expected as kids grow. When it isn’t working, feel the freedom to pivot to best educate your child.

Be sure to grab a copy of the Homeschool 101 Planning Guide. It includes questions I use when creating targeted plans for individual homeschool students.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a nominal fee from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support. See my disclosure policy for more info.