High School Language Arts
First Two Years: WBLA Level C
When a student reaches high school, he should possess a growing acumen in writing, having incorporated the skills that are taught in WBLA Level B. As a student “grows up” with WBLA, the excellent language arts principles taught through this curriculum should become second nature in his writing.
With this in mind, we recommend that the first two years of high-school-level language arts course work begin with WBLA Booklet 1C and conclude with booklet 16C. We realize that some families may be in a different numbered Wisdom Booklet while their high school student is working through WBLA 1–16 Level C. While working in an English program that directly correlates to the Wisdom Booklet you are studying is ideal, you may use any WBLA booklet along side any Wisdom Booklet and still receive the benefits of WBLA.
What do WBLA weekly lessons include?
- Literature passage for copying, dictation, studying, composition, writing, and other skills
- Reading and listening comprehension based on the passages
- Vocabulary learning based on the passages and the Wisdom Booklets
- Spelling Lessons
- Editor Duties
- Usage skills based on the passages (grammar and/or punctuation)
- Study skills/prewriting assignments
- Composition and creative writing assignments
- Checklist Challenges
- Extensions for advanced students
- Extra Practice assignments
- Teacher Tips
- Teacher’s Helps
- Answer Keys
How can you use WBLA Level C with any Wisdom Booklet?
For the two-week essay assignment given in the last two weeks of each WBLA booklet, you may assign your student to write the same type of essay using content from your current Wisdom Booklet, rather than the choices listed in WBLA. You also may choose to assign the projects listed in your Wisdom Booklet or life experiences that your student desires to write about.
Many of the topics in the Wisdom Booklets overlap. Therefore, your WBLA booklet may be about rejoicing in trials, while your Wisdom Booklet is about being blessed when you are persecuted. Whether your Wisdom Booklet and WBLA booklet correspond or not, the character focus and Biblical principles taught in the Wisdom Booklets are reinforced throughout the WBLA booklets.
How often are grammar skills repeated?
- Major grammar skills are taught two times every eight booklets.
- Minor grammar skills are taught once every eight booklets.
- Grammar skills mentioned in the Wisdom Booklets are taught in the correlating WBLA booklet, regardless of how many other times that skill is taught.
For more information regarding the skills taught in Level C, please consult the Scope and Sequence chart located on pages 33–46 of the WBLA Teacher’s Guide.
Final Two Years: Additional Studies
Once a student has successfully completed two years of WBLA Level C, we recommend the following studies as options for completing his high school language arts requirements.
Journal of Faith
As you read and study each book of the Bible, you will compile over thirty pages of your own personal commentary on insights and applications of faith. You will outline the major topics and themes of each book, analyze the elements of faith or lack of faith, and draw applications for your own life.
Other assignments include studying ten of God’s Old Testament “Heroes of Faith,” researching the lives of four great Christians from the past and recording insights relating to the seven basic principles and the faith of each individual, and completing the Basic Seminar Follow-up Course.
Recommended Credit: 6 semester hours (BLP-107)
Wisdom Analogies
An analogy is a form of logic that helps a person identify important relationships between things. Many of the deep truths contained in Scripture are expressed in analogies. In exploring any area of information, the goal is not only to identify and understand truth, but also to present the truth to others in a convincing way. Types of analogies studied include synonyms/antonyms, cause/effect, part/whole, association, time/ sequence, characteristic/description, grammatical, and nonsemantic.
This is especially beneficial for students planning to take a standardized college assessment test such as the SAT or ACT.
Sentence Analysis
This curriculum is comprised of eighteen lessons grouped into three sections of study: grammatical elements of simple and compound sentences, verbals, and clauses. Scripture is used to introduce each lesson with a clear analogy to the grammar principle being discussed and also appears as the basis of practice exercises.
Commands of Christ Memorization and Meditation Journal
This self-study workbook provides a rich study of forty-nine commands of Jesus. In addition to memorizing and meditating on key Bible verses, you will be challenged to answer questions specifically designed to deepen your understanding of the command, record your own personal experiences, and use what you have learned to disciple others.
Recommended Credit: 3 semester hours (BBL-110)
High School-Level Literature Studies
Literature possesses great power to influence the heart and mind of the reader. As believers, it is important to remember that everything we read must be viewed through the truth of Scripture.
The incredible benefits of studying literature include developing Bible study skills, improving writing skills, understanding what people believe by identifying worldviews expressed extensively through literature, seeing how beliefs are translated into practical life, and learning how to communicate truth through various literary devices.
The strong cautions to remember when studying literature include considering that much literature is objectionable or simply not worth reading, remembering that extensive literature study can take away from Bible study, and realizing that unbiblical philosophies and worldviews are often taught through literature.
Suggestions for Studies
The Wisdom Booklets themselves contain excellent sources of literature, and they may be studied as such. A student should learn the basic principles of literature and how to analyze the application of these principles.
In addition to the Wisdom Booklets, there are several beneficial resources that teach a Biblical approach to literature.
- American Literature—11th grade (Bob Jones University Press)
- British Literature—12th grade (Bob Jones University Press)
- American Literature—11th grade (Abeka Books)
- The Literature of American People—11th grade (Abeka Books)
- Introduction to English Literature—12th grade (Abeka Books)
- The Literature of England—12th grade (Abeka Books)
- Twelve Trademarks of Great Literature by Jeff Baldwin (Worldview Academy)
For an independent study of literature, here are several suggested assignments.
- Be able to recognize and define key terms of literature.
- Read a book such as How to Read a Book, by Mortimer J. Adler.
- Learn to identify the plot, theme, characters, imagery, and other literary devices in your reading.
- Research the author of the book you are reading. Discern his worldview, and evaluate how his philosophies influenced his writings.
- Write book reports on the books you read, incorporating the above points of study.
A study of literature should include areas of Biographical Literature, World Literature (both American and British/English Literature), and Christian Literature.
High School-Level English Studies Through Telos
Once your high school student completes Level C of the WBLA curriculum, he should be ready to progress to the next level of excellence. There are many options to consider for his remaining years of study.
The Telos Institute International provides two distance-learning courses that we recommend as effective ways to build on the foundation you have laid through the WBLA curriculum.
These courses are designed for students who are fourteen and older who want to build further confidence in their writing skills and prepare to write with the intensity demanded in college-level programs.
ENGL 090—Preparatory English I
- Correct blind spots in grammar.
- Build habits of correct word usage and punctuation.
- Learn how to construct effective paragraphs and essays.
- Increase typing speed.
- Develop time management skills.
Telos Credit: 2 semester hours
ENGL 095—Preparatory English II
- Complete a grammar review.
- Practice writing in various formats.
- Learn basic concepts of literature.
- Read a book of your choice and write a review of it.
- Discover the step-by-step process of writing a research paper.
Telos Credit: 2 semester hours
High School Language Arts Four-Year Planning Worksheet
