Developed with Students, for Students
Clarity Books™ materials teach the foundations of language — grammar and vocabulary — cleared of contradictions and unnecessary complexities, built to be understandable, and taught for real use, not rote memorization.
What Is Literacy?
Most people hear “literacy” and think, “Can someone read and write at a basic level?” But when we say “literacy,” we mean something much broader. Real literacy is being able to speak, write, read, and listen — with genuine understanding. It’s what allows one to pick up any subject and actually make sense of it, not just decode words on a page. Real literacy applies outside of the classroom as well — it applies to day-to-day living and conversations. It’s what allows us to understand others and to be understood.
The Clarity Books curriculum begins with grammar and vocabulary (focusing on the unrecognized — but possibly most important — words of the English language). These elements form the foundation that everything else is built on. Our goal, however, is not only to teach English, or only to help children fulfill their grammar requirements for school — it’s to unlock the hidden barriers that keep people from truly understanding what they study, in any subject.
Grammar Should Make Sense and Be Useful
Here’s what that looks like in one of our subjects — grammar. Let’s look at the word run. Only looking at the word, can you tell if it’s a noun or a verb?
Look at these sentences:
- “I run every morning”
- “I go for a run.”
We used the same word, but they did two different jobs. In the first sentence, run is used as a verb; in the second, run is used as a noun.
Many grammar books never explain this. They hand a child a list and say something like, “House is a noun. Talk is a verb.”
That doesn’t necessarily work in real sentences. If I say “I house my neighbor for the weekend,” house is used as a verb. If I say “We had a great talk,” talk is used as a noun. If I say “I have a house cat,” house is used as an adjective.
Giving students lists of words and saying “these are nouns” and “these are verbs” may seem to hold up fine — until it doesn’t. Real English doesn’t work that way, and students can tell.
Our curriculum teaches the real uses and functions of words and grammar elements, not just a list of memorized labels or rules. Time and time again, we have seen our students (children and adults alike) say, “Oh, I get it now.”
Nothing assumes you already know it. No lesson refers to a term the materials haven’t already explained — and every drill comes with answers, so when something doesn’t look right, there is a place to check.
Why So Many People Think They’re Bad at Grammar
Grammar is usually taught as a list of rules to memorize. The rules arrive without reasons. The exceptions arrive without explanations. When the pieces don’t fit together, students draw the obvious conclusion — that the problem is them.
It isn’t. Any subject taught as an arbitrary list is hard for everyone. Taught logically, with each piece resting on the one before it, grammar is one of the most orderly subjects there is. That is the problem this curriculum was built to solve.
Who Uses Clarity Books?
Do you need an education degree to teach our curriculum? No. Clarity Books materials are built to be taught by any parent, tutor, or friend, not just certified teachers.
Our curriculum is not based on theory. It was built over years, through hands-on teaching—tested, piloted, and improved with children and adults, native and second-language English speakers, across five continents.
Today, Clarity Books materials are used by homeschool families, academies, community centers, schools, nonprofits, churches, and businesses around the world. We work with everyone — from young children just beginning their educations, to working professionals building new skills or advancing in their careers.
What’s Included?
The Young Genius Grammar Series was created to make grammar clear, logical, and understandable. Grammar One and Grammar Two are available now, with more on the way.
The Ollie the Elephant — Learning Made Easy Series teaches the small, foundational words of English that we use every day but rarely stop to think about. It contains over 160 illustrated booklets, along with exercises and drills. Each is built the same way: clear, simple, and understandable.
Grammar Doesn’t Have to Be Painful
Grammar doesn’t have to be a subject that students “just get through.” It can be one that they actually understand and use.
Experience has shown us that students’ critical thinking and abilities to excel in any subject gradually improve as they study this curriculum.