Fourth Grade language arts skills builds upon skills learned in previous years. Here is part 1 of the list of fourth grade language arts skills adapted from the World book website along with my suggestions for teaching these skills.
Silent and oral reading: By this time, students should be able to read fluently both aloud and to him or herself. This is a good age to try to start the habit of reading for pleasure. I strongly suggest purchasing any book your child wants (within moral reason). This includes comic books, potty humor, mysteries, science fiction and even newspapers. If they will read it, make it available.
Choral reading: Students should be able to read or recite poems and other works of literature aloud in an animated manner that is appropriate to the story.
Listening skills: Students should be able to listen to a story and tell it back.
Telephone skills: This is definitely a lesson for parents to teach. I like to call my home phone, see how children answer it, and make critiques later. I have even had friends call and ask questions to see if children answer them correctly. Basically, a child must be able to answer the telephone professionally, ask who is calling, politely, and if parents are not home or available, they must say, “My parent is not available, in a way that does not give out too much information.
Making and accepting simple social introductions: Have your children formally introduce you to their friends, and introduce them to people so they will notice such social niceties.
Summarizing simple information: A child should be able to hear or read a reasonable amount of information and write a short summary.
Listening to literature: A child needs to be able to listen to a story or poem attentively without becoming easily distracted.
Critical reading: I love using critical reading workbooks to make sure my children can read and pull important information from a story.
To be continued…
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