• By the end of fourth grade your child should be able to do the following:

    Listening

    • Listen to and understand information presented by others
    • Form opinions based on evidence
    • Listen for specific purposes

    Speaking

    • Use words appropriately in conversation
    • Use language effectively for a variety of purposes
    • Understand some figurative language (e.g., "the forest stretched across…")
    • Participate in group discussions
    • Give accurate directions to others
    • Summarize and restate ideas
    • Organize information for clarity
    • Use subject area information and vocabulary (e.g., social studies) for learning
    • Make effective oral presentations

    Reading

    • Read for specific purposes
    • Read grade-level books fluently
    • Use previously learned information to understand new material
    • Follow written directions
    • Take brief notes
    • Link information learned to different subjects
    • Learn meanings of new words through knowledge of word origins, synonyms, and multiple meanings
    • Use reference materials (e.g., dictionary)
    • Explain the author's purpose and writing style
    • Read and understand a variety of types of literature, including fiction, nonfiction, historical fiction, and poetry
    • Compare and contrast in content areas
    • Make inferences from texts
    • Paraphrase content, including the main idea and details

    Writing

    • Write effective stories and explanations, including several paragraphs about the same topic
    • Develop a plan for writing, including a beginning, middle, and end
    • Organize writing to convey a central idea
    • Edit final copies for grammar, punctuation, and spelling