By the time students reach fourth grade, they have mastered the basics of phonology and decoding and have begun to dig deeper to understand what they are reading. This is a great time to introduce learning strategies that will help them become lifelong readers. Here are a dozen ways to improve fourth grade reading comprehension.
1. Color-code is your thought
Highlighting note-taking and reading passages with color can help students differentiate, retain, and transfer knowledge, as well as focus on important information for meaningful learning. Teach your students to use color to highlight paragraphs to help them identify features such as key ideas, descriptions, and vocabulary words. Or use different colors to mark different sections of the graphic organizer.
Learn more: Think, grow, smile
2. Try to think out loud
Another way to improve fourth grade comprehension is to think. When reading a lesson to students, share the questions and answers that are running through your mind. For example, “How does the story make you feel?”
Learn more: Balanced Literacy Diet
3. Watch a story-material rap video
Do you know how they say that learning music helps improve the retention setting? Okay, with this story-material wrap video, kids will see themselves pronouncing the chorus much later. And if rap isn’t your thing, check out this list of our favorite YouTube videos to teach storytelling
4. Play a round of reading comprehension jingle
Who doesn’t like the thrilling game of jingle? Careful strategy in picking the right block তা rushing to get a block out successfully… the whole tower collapses at the sound! This classroom version is not just a blast, it helps to improve reading comprehension skills. Score a used Zenga set at a garage sale or thrift store, then download this huge collection of comprehensible questions to read fiction and nonfiction from the initial assessment.
Learn more: Remedia Publications
5. Improve vocabulary skills
The more words a student knows, the more they have access to complex reading paragraphs. Practice vocabulary skills in a fun way with these 20 meaningful vocabulary activities. Draw vocabulary sketch notes, play vocabulary risks, join the Million Dollar Word Club and much more.
6. Practice using context formulas
Image Source: Crafting Connection
Being able to use context clues to define unknown words is crucial for all students. This poster and lesson plan on crafting connections will give your students the techniques they need to become a sound detective.
7. Find creative ways to respond to reading
Photo source: An Educators Life
Terrible, old-fashioned, standing in front of class and reading the report of your boring book. How about creating a mint-tin book report? Or a book report cake? Or a mobile or paper bag book report made from a clothes hanger? Here are some creative ways kids can respond to books that we’ve rounded up to get your students excited about reading.
8. Learn about close reading techniques
Photo source: De Lu on Pinterest
Close reading is defined as “an intensive analysis of a text so as to know what it says, how it says it, and what it means.” And research shows that teaching students how to close-read helps them become better readers. The strategy is to spice it up so that students can apply the skill of reading closely without getting bored. Here is the idea of an innovative teacher to teach close reading.
9. Create anchor charts together
From identifying a text to visualizing a character’s journey to understanding, we’ve got fourth grade reading comprehension anchor charts for you! Choose from dozens of color samples for you to create with your students during direct instruction.
10. Introduce metaphorical language
Photo source: YourDictionary.com
Things like metaphors, similes and onmatopoeia make that reading more colorful and interesting. Understanding metaphorical language is a complex literacy skill that will expand your students’ understanding. Focus your lessons around anchor charts in this fantastic metaphorical language.
11. Theme Focus
Photo source: Upper Elementary Snapshot
In order to fully explore the theme, students must be able to understand what they read and then extract ideas from the text. Here are some tips to help you learn themes in the language industry.
12. Read in line
Learning to guess is a key literacy skill and something that all good readers do. When students pause and connect while reading to ask questions, it strengthens their comprehension. To learn more about this, go to Teaching with Mountain View.
Looking for more ways to encourage the burden of fourth grade reading? Check out our list of the top 60 books in 4th grade.
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