The Critical Thinking Co

Critical Thinking Co. Language Smarts

Recommended Ages

PreK–12th grades

Language Smarts from The Critical Thinking Co. is a comprehensive language arts workbook series that combines grammar, punctuation, reading comprehension, and writing practice with thinking-oriented exercises. Colorful pages and puzzle-like activities aim to make skills practice feel more like brain games than drills. Parents appreciate that one book can cover a wide swath of ELA review for a given grade, reducing the need for separate workbooks. It works well as a gentle main program for lighter years or as a rich supplement alongside other curricula.

Ideal for elementary students who like colorful workbooks and a “little of everything” approach, and for parents wanting a secular, mostly self-directed language arts resource that doesn’t require daily scripting.

Pros

Colorful, substantial worktexts that can serve as either a complete or supplemental language arts program for grades 1–4, covering reading, spelling, grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, and higher-order thinking in one book; reviewers appreciate the open-and-go format and the way it weaves critical thinking into language practice. 

Cons

Very workbook-heavy; composition and literature study are limited, so many families still add separate writing and reading programs; some kids feel the pages are visually busy or get fatigued by the variety of small tasks, and level placement can run slightly ahead of traditional grade labels. 

Because it is a secular print or PDF curriculum, Language Smarts is often eligible for purchase through charter and ESA funds when ordered from approved vendors or the publisher. As always, families should confirm with their specific program regarding allowable titles.

Typically 42.99 for a level (e-book or physical workbook)

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Critical Thinking Co. Language Smarts
$42.99 USD

Skills

What kids will learn
View all collections
ELA
ELA
Reading
Reading
Reading Comprehension
Reading Comprehension
Writing
Writing
Grammar
Grammar
Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking Co. Language Smarts Mission

Language Smarts, from The Critical Thinking Co.™, is designed to be a full, colorful language arts curriculum that doesn’t just teach mechanics but also builds reasoning and problem‑solving skills. The mission behind the series is to help kids read, write, and communicate more clearly by weaving grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and composition together with puzzles and higher‑order thinking. By embedding critical‑thinking tasks into everyday language practice, Language Smarts aims to prepare students not only for tests, but for a lifetime of analyzing information and expressing their ideas.

Critical Thinking Co. Language Smarts Story

Language Smarts grew out of The Critical Thinking Co.’s long history of publishing logic and problem‑solving materials. After decades of focusing on math and brain‑teaser books, the company began designing comprehensive language arts workbooks that would bring the same rigor and depth to reading and writing. The result was the Language Smarts series—brightly illustrated, grade‑leveled books that can serve as a core curriculum or a supplement. Over time the series has won multiple homeschool and education awards and become a staple for families who want language arts that feel substantial and intellectually engaging.

About Modular Learning

FAQ: Additional Details about Critical Thinking Co. Language Smarts

A Language Smarts session might look like your child sitting at the table with bright, cartoon-accented pages, circling parts of speech, filling in analogies, and answering short reading comprehension questions. You’ll hear pencil scratches, the occasional chuckle at a silly sentence, and perhaps a short discussion about why one answer fits better than another.

Language Smarts is a series of colorful workbooks from The Critical Thinking Co. that integrates grammar, reading comprehension, spelling, and writing skills in one volume per grade. Families use it as a core or supplemental language arts resource, assigning a few pages per day while encouraging students to think about patterns and logic in language rather than just rote rules.

Younger students generally need a parent or caregiver nearby to read directions, help with tricky vocabulary, and discuss answers; older children may work mostly independently while a parent checks work and uses missed problems as teaching moments. Many families treat it as a short, focused one-on-one “language warm-up.”

Each book is labeled with a target grade and assumes typical reading and handwriting ability for that level; strong readers can often work a year ahead, while reluctant writers may work more slowly or dictate answers to a parent. No previous Critical Thinking Co. experience is required.

Language Smarts adds structured, incremental practice in language arts with a thinking‑skills twist, which can help ADHD or autistic learners who need clear rules and consistent practice. For dyslexic kids, families may want to read prompts aloud, scribe answers, or pair with an Orton‑Gillingham‑based reading program.

Similar strengths for 2e kids with strong verbal reasoning—lots of explicit practice with language patterns. Watch the workload for kids with dysgraphia or fatigue and feel free to do problems orally.

Refunds depend on where you purchase: physical workbooks can sometimes be returned within a limited window if unused, while PDFs and opened materials are usually non-refundable. Parents should check the seller’s stated policy before buying and consider starting with a single level to test the fit.

Not a great fit for kids with dysgraphia or those who strongly dislike pencil-and-paper work, or for families wanting a literature-rich or writing-heavy program where long-form composition is central.

Popular alternatives and complements include Brave Writer, Michael Clay Thompson language arts, All About Reading/Spelling for phonics, and programs like Grammar Galaxy or First Language Lessons for more narrative-style grammar.

The Critical Thinking Co. periodically revises and updates Language Smarts editions, refreshing examples and correcting any errata, and occasionally expands the line to cover additional grade levels. New complementary products and digital options are also released over time.

Use Language Smarts as a spine, but feel free to skip or condense sections your child has clearly mastered and spend saved time reading aloud and doing real writing projects like letters, mini-essays, or comics.

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Meet John

John Baker founded what would become The Critical Thinking Co.™ in 1958, originally operating out of his family’s basement under the name Midwest Publications. Trained as an educator and deeply interested in logic and problem solving, he began writing and publishing materials that taught students to analyze, reason, and think independently across subjects. Under his leadership—and later that of his son Michael—the company expanded into hundreds of award‑winning books and software titles, including the Language Smarts series. A fun fact: the company still donates large numbers of books each year to children and schools in need, reflecting John’s commitment to educational access.