Reading and Viewing
In Grade 4, students further develop their reading and viewing skills to interact critically with a wider variety of texts. They apply more sophisticated comprehension strategies, expand their vocabulary, and analyze how authors craft texts to convey meaning and influence readers. Students read for pleasure, personal growth, and to gather and evaluate information.
Grade Four Expectations for Reading and Viewing
Read for Pleasure and Personal Growth
- Select and read a variety of materials with fluency at the transitional to fluent levels
- Participate in independent reading with books chosen to provide appropriate challenge and expand interests
- Explore complex texts of interest, developing strategies to navigate challenging content
- Reflect on and evaluate their strengths as readers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful before, during and after reading
- Develop personal reading preferences and articulate reasons for their choices
Specific Curriculum Outcomes
By the end of Grade Four, the learner will be expected to:
Inclusive Assessment Strategies
Assessment strategies that provide information about learning:
- Observations: Teacher observations during independent reading, noting strategy application, text selection, and critical analysis skills
- Conversations: Reading conferences to discuss comprehension strategies, text connections, and personal responses to reading
- Products: Reading response journals, text analysis charts, multimedia presentations, and comparative text studies
Sample Assessment Tools:
- Reading inventories to assess comprehension, fluency, and strategy use
- Text analysis rubrics for evaluating critical thinking and textual evidence use
- Self-assessment tools for students to monitor reading growth and strategy effectiveness
- Theme and character development tracking charts
- Vocabulary acquisition logs with etymology and context applications
- Media literacy analysis guides for evaluating diverse text types
Inclusive Learning Strategies
Additional Resources and Materials
For Teachers
- Diverse classroom library with Caribbean and international literature across genres
- Digital reading platforms with leveled texts and comprehension activities
- Text analysis guides and graphic organizers for different text structures
- Media literacy resources for analyzing diverse text types
- OECS Grade 4 Language Arts Curriculum Guide
- Professional resources on teaching critical literacy and text analysis
For Students
- Reading response journals with prompts for critical analysis
- Strategy bookmarks with advanced comprehension techniques
- Personal vocabulary notebooks with etymology sections
- Text feature and structure analysis templates
- Author study guides for tracking style elements across texts
- Media literacy evaluation checklists
Teacher Content Knowledge
In Grade 4, Reading and Viewing instruction builds on previous skills while developing more sophisticated critical literacy. Students should engage with increasingly complex texts that challenge them to analyze author's purpose, evaluate evidence, compare perspectives, and distinguish fact from opinion. The focus shifts from basic comprehension to deeper analysis of how texts work and how authors craft meaning.
Teachers should understand the progression of reading development from transitional to fluent stages, recognizing that Grade 4 students are developing the capacity for abstract thinking that allows for more sophisticated text analysis. Instruction should balance explicit teaching of advanced comprehension strategies with ample opportunities for independent reading of self-selected texts. Cultural relevance remains essential, with texts that reflect Caribbean experiences while also expanding students' global awareness.
Media literacy becomes increasingly important at this level, as students encounter more complex information sources. Teachers should guide students to critically evaluate diverse media, identifying bias, perspective, and persuasive techniques. The connection between reading and writing should be emphasized, with students analyzing author's craft as models for their own composition.