Curated guide
Best Secular Language Arts Curriculum
6 curricula in this guide
Language arts covers a lot of ground: phonics, spelling, grammar, writing, and literature. Secular families have strong options at every stage, though it takes some assembly since the strongest programs tend to specialize in one or two of those skills rather than covering all five.
All About Reading and Logic of English are the standout structured-literacy programs for teaching kids to read, both built on Orton-Gillingham principles. Build Your Library and BookShark handle literature and composition through full book-based programs. Below you'll find every secular language arts option in our directory, from phonics apps to full-year literature courses.
Editor's selection
Our picks
All About Reading
All About Learning Press
Orton-Gillingham-based multi-sensory reading and phonics program using letter tiles, decodable readers, and scripted lessons. Effective for all learners including those with dyslexia.
Logic of English
Logic of English
Comprehensive Orton-Gillingham-based phonics, reading, spelling, and grammar program that teaches the rules behind English spelling. Effective for struggling readers and dyslexia.
Build Your Library
Build Your Library
Secular, literature-based curriculum following a historical timeline with Charlotte Mason methods. Teacher's guide PDFs are affordable; books purchased separately.
BookShark
BookShark
Secular literature-based curriculum adapted from the Sonlight model. One of the few non-religious, book-rich options for families who love reading together.
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ABCmouse
Age of Learning
Comprehensive early-learning platform for ages 2-8 covering reading, math, science, art, music, and more across 13,000+ activities. Step-by-step Learning Path plus free exploration.
Reading Eggs
3P Learning
Gamified phonics and reading platform for ages 2-13 with bundled Mathseeds for early math. Self-paced with placement testing, designed for engaging early literacy practice.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy
Free, nonprofit, mastery-based online learning platform spanning PreK through college. Short video lessons paired with adaptive practice and unit tests, especially strong in math and SAT prep.
IXL Learning
IXL Learning
Adaptive skill-by-skill practice platform with over 17,000 standards-aligned skills across math, language arts, science, social studies, and Spanish. Strongest as practice and diagnostic, not initial instruction.
Khan Academy Kids
Khan Academy
Free standalone app for ages 2-8 covering math, reading, phonics, ELA, social-emotional learning, and creative expression. Adaptive learning path with Kodi the bear as the mascot.
Khanmigo
Khan Academy
Khan Academy's GPT-4-powered Socratic AI tutor. Guides students to answers rather than giving them. Integrates with Khan content across math, science, humanities, AP, and SAT prep. $44/yr covers up to 10 children.
Common questions
Frequently asked
How much religious content is typical in language arts programs?
More than in math, less than in history. Faith-based language arts programs commonly use Scripture for copywork, dictation, and reading passages, and literature selections often lean toward books with a Christian frame. The grammar and mechanics instruction itself is usually worldview-neutral.
Are secular phonics programs as effective?
Yes. Reading instruction quality depends on whether the phonics is explicit and systematic, not on the publisher's worldview. Several of the strongest structured literacy programs, including ones widely recommended for dyslexia, are entirely secular.
How do I find secular literature selections?
Look at the actual book list rather than the program description. Secular literature-based programs publish their reading lists, and the mix of authors, eras, and perspectives will tell you more than the marketing does. Many families also keep the program's structure and substitute individual titles.
Can we use a secular writing program with a faith-based curriculum?
Yes. Writing instruction is a set of transferable skills, and mixing publishers across subjects is normal. A writing program's method matters far more to the outcome than whether its sample passages come from Scripture or from Twain.
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