4th Grade English & Reading

Phonological awareness instruction occurs as needed in individual or small group lessons. Activities include rhyming as well as isolating sounds, segmenting syllables, adding, deleting, substituting and blending sounds.

Phonics instruction becomes embedded in vocabulary development across all content areas. As students encounter grade appropriate words, they are able to break them into parts and analyze parts for clues as to meaning. 

Vocabulary instruction is embedded throughout the curriculum, focusing on both spoken and written language. Instruction involves the intentional use of increasingly complex academic language and content specific vocabulary.

Fluency instruction occurs in a variety of settings throughout the school day, including whole group and small group lessons. Students become more fluent readers through readers theater, repeated readings, partner reading and independent reading.  Fluency is modeled and practiced in a variety of ways.

Text comprehension instruction occurs whenever students interact with text. Instruction involves high interest texts in a variety of genres, cultures and perspectives. In addition, instruction involves continuous teacher modeling, opportunities for partner reading, and independent reading.  Teachers work with students to expand higher level comprehension skills.

Writing instruction in fourth grade involves direct responding to text and writing across a variety of genres including narrative, informative, and persuasive.  As writing expectations become more demanding, writing instruction emphasizes student voice, dialogue, character development and the use of evidence to compare multiple texts.