Placement guide, language arts
Which level of BookShark Language Arts should my child start?
How BookShark Language Arts levels line up with school grades, how its placement test works, what to do if your child lands between two levels, and the mistakes parents most often make.
The short answer. BookShark uses two naming systems. Language Arts K to 4 are numbered and chosen by skill, independent of the lettered history Levels A to C. From Level D on, Language Arts carries the same letter as the history level and is meant to be bought to match it. The numbers and letters are not grades, and the age ranges overlap widely, so Language Arts 4 and Level D both cover ages 8-11.
Use the publisher's own placement tool to choose the level (free, PDF). If you are not sure where your child really is, or the result surprises you, check the level first: it is quicker than a wrong book.
BookShark Language Arts levels and the grades they usually suit
| Level | Usually suits grade | Main topics |
|---|---|---|
| Language Arts 3 | 2-4 | Spelling and phonics, copywork, mechanics and the writing process, used with Readers in Levels A to C. 36 weeks |
| Language Arts 4 | 3-5 | Spelling, nouns, pronouns, verbs, similes and metaphors, quotations and dialog, research and creative writing. 36 weeks |
| Language Arts D | 3-5 | First level tied to the Level D history. Grammar, writing mechanics, creative writing including similes and metaphors, copywork building toward dictation. Ages 8-11 |
| Language Arts E | 4-7 | Tied to Level E history. Research, drafting a range of papers and editing. Ages 9-12 |
| Language Arts D+E | Not given by the publisher | Combined guide for families using the combined Level D+E history |
| Language Arts F | 5-8 | Tied to Level F history. Weekly dictation from famous quotations, essays, character sketches, letters, news articles, sentence variety and active voice. Ages 10-13 |
| Language Arts G | 5-7 | Tied to Level G history. Grammar, mechanics, paragraph unity and elaboration, research writing, dialogue and creative writing. Ages 11-13 |
| Language Arts H | 6-8 | Tied to Level H history. Parts of speech review, argumentative writing, poetry, screenwriting and a research paper. Ages 12-14 |
| Level I Literature and Language Arts | 7-9 | American historical literature with spelling lists, literary analysis, timed and persuasive essays. Ages 13-15 |
| Level J Literature and Language Arts | Not given by the publisher | Literature and language arts for ages 14-18 |
| High school: World Historical, U.S. Historical, Modern Literature and Language Arts | 9-12 | Literature-based high school language arts courses, ages 14-18 |
Grades are the publisher's own guide. Many children sit a level above or below, especially after switching programs.
How BookShark Language Arts placement works
- Free printable assessments exist for Language Arts K, 1, 2, 3 and 4, each with 10 questions on reading comprehension and writing and an answer key at the end.
- The parent can act as scribe.
- If the child gets 8 of 10 right, try the next level's test.
- Fewer than 8 means the current level is likely the right one.
- For Level D and above there is no test: pick the Language Arts that matches the history level.
- A separate quick reading assessment, read-aloud word lists plus sample pages, helps pick a Reader level for Levels A to C.
Open the publisher's placement page
If your child lands between two levels
If the child scores well but not perfectly, start at the lower level and move up mid-year if they breeze through. Retake the test on a calmer day if results look off. When test results and grade disagree, trust the test. Many young children read above their writing level, so choose the Language Arts level first and match the Reader level to it, choosing the lower of the two.
Problems parents often run into
- Grammar is taught as short weekly grammar gems tied to the copywork or dictation passage, and some families add a separate grammar program. BookShark itself recommends a year of a separate grammar book somewhere between Levels E and H.
- From Level D, Language Arts is tied to the history level, so a child whose writing skills do not match their history level has no separate placement test to fall back on.
- Reviewers find the instructor's guides parent-intensive, with a lot to read.
- BookShark warns that many young children read above their writing level, so placing by reading alone can put a child too high.
- Spelling is built into Language Arts K to 4 only. For Levels D to G, BookShark packages add a separate spelling program.
Point of Progress in 20 seconds
Ready to see where your child stands?
See where they stand →Switching to BookShark Language Arts from another program
- Joining an older sibling in a combined Level D program: take the Language Arts assessment to check the younger child is ready.
- Coming from another program into Level D or above: choose by age range and history level, then use the 3-week instructor's guide samples to check the writing work fits.
- For multiple children sharing one level, BookShark combines students within a 3-year age range and chooses the lowest level suitable for the oldest child.
- Placement advisors are available free by appointment.
When you don't need a whole level
A placement test answers one question: which book. If your child is mostly on track but shaky in one area, say fractions or paragraph writing, a full lower level means months of review they do not need. Practising just the gaps is faster, and keeps them in the book that fits the rest of their skills.
Questions parents ask
Is it bad if my child places below their grade?
No. Programs pace topics differently, so a lower level often reflects the order things were taught, not how able a child is. What matters is starting where the work makes sense.
Do I need a placement test at all?
If you are switching programs or your child has had a hard year, yes. Starting too high is the most common reason a new curriculum stalls in the first month.
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Sources
- bookshark.com/about/choosing-guide/
- bookshark.com/homeschool-curriculum/placement-tests/la-assessment
- bookshark.com/homeschool-curriculum/assessments/quick-reading-assessme
- bookshark.com/homeschool-curriculum/assessments
- bookshark.com/shop-by-subjects/language-arts-packages
- bookshark.com/shop-by-subjects/language-arts-packages?page=2
Know where they stand before you buy the book.
About forty minutes at home, math and reading & writing, grades 3 to 10. The report is ready as soon as the test finishes.
Test your child, $9.99 →or with the ten-week workbook, $19.99This page is Point of Progress's own research, compiled in November 2026 from publishers' websites, placement materials and parent reviews. Publishers update their products, levels, placement tests and prices from time to time, so please verify all information with the provider before you buy. Point of Progress is independent and is not affiliated with any publisher named here.