Foundational Skills
In grade four, foundational skills instruction centers on
students’ application of phonics and word analysis skills to
multisyllabic words and the continued development of fluency.
These skills are achieved in a number of ways (discussed in the
following sections). However, it is important to note that wide
reading—which provides students with rich opportunities to
engage in meaning making, expand their language, interact with
models of effective expression, and acquire content knowledge—
also supports students’ in becoming increasingly competent with
foundational skills. That is, reading extensively provides students
with opportunities to use in concert the phonics and word
recognition skills they have learned in wide-ranging contexts,
and it contributes significantly to students’ fluency.
Phonics and Word Recognition
In grade four, students apply the following phonics and word analysis skills to accurately read
unfamiliar multisyllabic words in and out of context (RF.4.3a):
- Letter-sound correspondences
- Syllabication patterns (See figure 4.10 in chapter 4.)
- Morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) (See figure 5.10 and accompanying text.)
Students who enter grade four lacking command of any of the foundational skills are given
additional support immediately. Assessments are conducted to determine the areas of need and
appropriate, targeted instruction is provided by skillful teachers. See chapters 3, 4, and 9 of this
ELA/ELD Framework for suggestions for instruction.
Fluency
Students develop fluency with grade-level text. Standard RF.4.4 indicates that they:
a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding.
b. Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on
successive readings.
c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as
necessary.
Students develop fluency by reading. They engage in
rereading for authentic purposes, such as preparing for a
reader’s theatre production, reading aloud a poem to an
audience, or practicing before audio or video recording a
presentation. Importantly, they also engage in a great deal of
independent reading. The more they read, the more automatic
they become at word recognition, which in turn contributes
to meaning making and motivation. As noted elsewhere,
reading volume also contributes to language development and
knowledge. High quality texts expose students to effective
expression.
Mean fluency rates for grade-four students are presented
in figure 5.15. Students reading more than ten words correct
below the 50th percentile (e.g., grade-four students read
correctly 83 or fewer words per minute in the fall) may needStudents develop fluency
by reading. They engage
in rereading for authentic
purposes, such as preparing
for a reader’s theatre
production, reading aloud
a poem to an audience,
or practicing before audio
or video recording a
presentation.Grade 4 Chapter 5 | 439