Choosing an Age Level
Beyond the Page uses age ranges instead of grades, offering more flexibility in choosing the right level for your homeschooler. However, it can sometimes be tricky to determine the best fit. This guide will help you choose the best homeschool curriculum level for your child.
1
Start in the middle of an age range
For instance, if your child is nine, start with the Age 8-10 level. For a seven-year-old, begin with the Age 6-8 level. This approach will work well for most kids.
2
Evaluate reading and writing levels
Assess both reading and writing skills, and go with the lower level. When a child reads above grade level, writing skills usually determine the best curriculum fit. To evaluate readiness, review the language arts requirements for each age group.
3
Take a Placement Assessment
If you're still unsure, try one of our placement assessments. These take 30-45 minutes and come with rubrics and guides to help you evaluate your child's progress and choose the best age level. For math and reading, you can review the relevant placement questionnaire.
* Most families use the same level for language arts, science, and social studies.
Age Level Requirements
Choose an age level to view its requirements.
High School 1
Language Arts Requirements
- Able to read books and texts at a high school reading level
- Experience writing a five-paragraph essay
- Usually used by students in the 9th or 10th grade
- Familiar with the conventions of poetry and short stories
- Able to understand, interpret, and apply figurative language techniques in reading and writing
- Some basic experience with creative writing
Exceptions
- If you have a precociously gifted child, you may determine to advance them to the next age level. These are only general guidelines, and children that are precociously gifted will not fall within these general categories.
- When we select the books for our literature units, we have advanced learners in mind. For this reason, our books have a reading level that is high for the ages provided. It is very possible, for example, for a 5th or 6th grader to benefit from the literature units of the Age 8-10 level, or for a 4th or 5th grader to benefit from the Age 7-9 literature units. If the books or topics are of interest to your child, you should feel free to use them.