After teaching eighth grade English, I felt very frustrated because my students did not retain and understand the material as well as they should after a whole year's work. I saw that they could not remember or apply many of the basic concepts that they should have mastered in previous grades. The reason soon became clear to me. The skills they were expected to learn and use were taught in isolation with only sporadic practice throughout the year. The result was that most of my students did not like English because they did not understand it.

I knew there had to be a better way to teach language skills in order for students to master and apply these skills across the curriculum. I looked for an English program that would meet the needs of my students, but I was unable to find one. Therefore, in 1971, I decided to develop my own. I wanted my English program to reach children with different learning abilities, to instill a love of learning, and to give students a solid foundation from which to build advanced writing and speaking skills. Thus, the Shurley curriculum was born.

Over the years, I perfected and expanded Shurley English. I watched students in my classroom succeed in English and believe in themselves again. My students developed a tremendous sense of security and self-confidence in their ability in English, which carried over into other areas of their lives. I grew more excited as I realized the Shurley curriculum could open nearly unlimited learning potential for every student. As I continued to write and expand the Shurley curriculum, I envisioned a complete language program for all levels.

In 1989, eighteen years after I began this journey, our first edition of The Shurley Method: English Made Easy was published for grades 1-7. Today, our company has an expansive line of Language Arts curriculum including the fourth edition of the Shurley English series for public schools, a targeted grammar program, and a Spanish to English ELL curriculum.

With many parents now assuming the responsibility for educating their children at home, I have long recognized the need for providing assistance to parents who have undertaken this awesome responsibility. Teaching Language Arts need not be as foreboding a task as one might think. Realizing that many who are teaching language skills to their children are parents who themselves have had bad experiences with Language Arts, I have designed a homeschool series that engages children physically, as well as mentally. Not only will the children enjoy their journey through language-land, but those of you who are homeschooling your children will enjoy it too.

-Brenda Shurley