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Reading Programs for 4th Graders

In our 4th grade program, your child will improve comprehension and fluency, strengthen writing skills, learn to read fourth-grade textbooks and nonfiction, and expand his or her vocabulary, all while cultivating a love of reading.

Reading and writing both play a huge role in your child’s 4th grade experience.

Fourth graders need to develop strong comprehension in fiction and nonfiction and learn how to write clearly and effectively. Your child is expected to master new skills throughout the school year and build the confidence they need to succeed with academic challenges.

When your child takes one of our programs, you can be sure it will be a fun and effective learning experience. Your child will learn key skills to succeed with grade-level reading and writing, develop lots of confidence, and build a lasting love of books that inspires reading for fun.

Each Six-Week Online Program Includes:

  • Age-Appropriate Books tab arrow
  • Engaging Group Activities & Discussions tab arrow
  • Skill Development & Independent Practice tab arrow
  • 1-1 Support tab arrow
  • Progress Report tab arrow
Age-Appropriate Books

Every program features high-quality books filled with timeless, relatable stories. Each book is carefully selected to be both challenging and accessible at your child’s reading level.

Engaging Group Activities & Discussions

Your child will participate in six dynamic, live online group classes led by a teacher who specializes in teaching core skills, facilitating thoughtful discussion, and bringing books to life.

Skill Development & Independent Practice

In between weekly classes, your child will complete reading and writing assignments and interactive lessons that build essential skills and overall confidence.

1-1 Support

Whether your child needs a little extra help, or you’d like to meet with your child’s teacher, one-on-one appointments are available. You’ll also have access to our on-demand Homework Helpline for added individual support.

Progress Report

At the end of the program, you'll receive an overview of the skills your child has learned, along with a certificate of completion.

4th Grade Sessions

We offer five sessions for 4th graders throughout the year. Each session features a unique set of books chosen specifically to be both enjoyable and appropriately challenging, ensuring kids have a successful, engaging experience.

  • Summer

  • Early Fall

  • Late Fall

  • Winter

  • Spring

Summer

Summer Program for Entering 4th Graders

Available to Start in June and July

Henry Huggins
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Enrollment Opens in February

Summer Program for Incoming 5th Graders >>>
Early Fall

Early Fall Program for 4th Graders

Available to Start in August and September

Cricket in Times Square
Pippi Longstocking

Enrollment Opens in June

Late Fall

Late Fall Program for 4th Graders

Available to Start in October and November

The Mouse and the Motorcycle
The Lemonade War

Enrollment Opens in August

Winter

Winter Program for 4th Graders

Available to Start in January and February

James and the Giant Peach
Pie
View Winter Schedules
<<< Winter Program for Current 3rd Graders
Spring

Spring Program for 4th Graders

Available to Start in March, April, and May

Bob
Frindle

Enrollment Opens in January

<<< Spring Program for Current 3rd Graders

What Skills Will Your Child Gain in Our 4th Grade Program?

Comprehension

Comprehension, the ability to understand what you read, is the goal of reading. Thinking actively and deeply about texts is a critical part of reading in 4th grade. Students with good comprehension can visualize the setting of a book, identify with its characters and how they feel, and anticipate the plot. They’re able to talk about books with others in detail and express a point of view. 

In our 4th grade programs, children build comprehension by reading and discussing great books. This is a positive experience that makes reading more enjoyable. Students with strong comprehension are motivated to read more for pleasure, which also gives them a big advantage in school.

Fluency

Fluency is the ability to read smoothly and accurately, at a good pace. In 4th grade, reading material gets more difficult. 4th graders need to continue developing fluency to meet new challenges they face from longer, harder words, more complex sentences and paragraphs, and richer themes.

In our 4th grade programs, children do a lot of independent reading, which is a great way to build reading fluency and speed. Strong, fluent readers have better comprehension, which helps them enjoy reading more and get completely absorbed in books.

Writing

Writing well makes a big difference in what kids can achieve. In order to express ideas effectively, students need strong writing skills. Fourth-grade writers work on improving their word choice, sentence construction, and paragraph organization. They also begin learning how to revise their work.

In our programs for 4th graders, children get lots of writing practice and constructive feedback and learn how to avoid common errors that can trip up young writers. When students are skilled at writing, they’re set up to succeed with any school subject.

Textbooks & Nonfiction

Reading textbooks and nonfiction requires a different set of skills and strategies than reading fiction. In 4th grade, emphasis shifts from “learning to read” to “reading to learn” information. To succeed, kids must make connections between ideas, follow a sequence of thought, and compare points of view in nonfiction from different subject areas, like science and social studies.

In our 4th grade programs, children learn essential nonfiction skills, like identifying main ideas and supporting details and recognizing text structures. These skills help students comprehend and remember important information, which is critical for academic achievement.

Vocabulary

Having a rich, robust vocabulary is the key to strong reading comprehension. It’s also essential for academic success in all subjects, for reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The most effective way for kids to build vocabulary is through a combination of vocabulary instruction and doing a lot of reading for pleasure.

In our 4th grade programs, students expand their vocabulary through interactive online lessons that provide instruction and practice with new words. They also get a boost from reading in great books every week throughout the program.

Building a Lifelong Love of Reading

A positive attitude and love of books motivates students to power through the challenges that come with reading.

Our programs give students positive experiences with books that inspire confidence and enthusiasm about reading. Your son or daughter will want to read even more and will develop the habit of reading for pleasure that leads to a lifetime of academic and personal benefits.

Learn more about how a love of reading makes all the difference.

Now Enrolling Winter Programs

View Schedules

Trust Our Reading Expertise

  • 50+ Years of Experience tab arrow
  • Dedicated Focus on Reading tab arrow
  • High-Quality Teachers tab arrow
  • Integrated Approach tab arrow
  • Outstanding Book Selections tab arrow
  • Assessment Without Tests tab arrow
50+ Years of Experience

The Institute of Reading Development was founded in 1970. Since then, we’ve been endorsed by more than 200 of the country’s most well-respected universities and helped more than three million students succeed with reading.

Dedicated Focus on Reading

Unlike organizations that teach too many subjects and specialize in none, we’ve remained focused on what we excel at and love to do: teaching reading.

High-Quality Teachers

We are extremely selective in the teachers we hire. They must be intelligent, dynamic, and warm in their communication, with a knack for nurturing participation. Above all, they must have a personal passion for reading.

Integrated Approach

We provide a truly all-encompassing learning experience that combines group discussion with independent practice and one-on-one support. No other organization integrates skills instruction and guided book discussions the way we do.

Outstanding Book Selections

We're known for curating the best books for every age. The books in our programs are not only written at the appropriate difficulty level, but also tell exciting and relatable stories that students genuinely love to read.

Assessment Without Tests

Tests are often the antithesis of fun. Instead of focusing heavily on testing, we assess students' progress through their work with the teacher and performance on grade-specific reading exercises and activities.

Endorsed by Leading Colleges and Universities

North Florida logo
UCF logo
The University of Tennessee
Clemson logo
loyola logo
Temple logo
UNLV logo

We Excel at Teaching in an Online Environment

  • Virtual Program Pioneer tab arrow
  • Specialized Training tab arrow
  • Maximum Participation tab arrow
  • Varied Perspectives tab arrow
  • Small Class Sizes tab arrow
Virtual Program Pioneer

We introduced our online offering in 2014, making us one of the first educational organizations to offer live online programs for kids. To date, we’ve taught more than 150,000 students online.

Specialized Training

Our teachers understand every stage of reading development. They go through intensive training to ensure they are well-prepared to teach core reading skills in a virtual classroom - across all grade levels.

Maximum Participation

We structure our classes to ensure that everyone's voice is heard. Our teachers track participation and call on every student, making sure each child is comfortable and confident reading aloud and sharing their thoughts.

Varied Perspectives

Our programs bring together students from across the country, each with unique backgrounds. It’s a dynamic mix of perspectives you won’t find in any traditional classroom.

Small Class Sizes

We’ve found that the most engaging and effective classes have a max of 15 students. Our average class size is about 13 students, ensuring optimal participation opportunities and individualized attention.

We Make It Easy for Parents

Not only are our programs engaging and enriching for kids, we also strive to make the entire process as stress-free as possible for parents, providing robust support throughout the entire program.

View Parent Resources

From the blog

Strong Comprehension Pays Off!

So, what is comprehension, and how do kids develop it? What is the big payoff of strong comprehension?

Read More about Strong Comprehension Pays Off!

Reviews

Read What Parents Have to Say

“My daughter developed her comprehension and writing skills a lot it reflected in her school grades. Also she is more confident and outspoken now. Thank you”

- Maria, Parent

Read More Reviews

Let the Adventure Begin!

Enroll your child in our 4th grade reading program today.

Only $249
Plus $39 Materials & Shipping

Enroll Now

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Questions?
Call 1-800-470-2891

Our knowledgeable advisors can answer questions and help find a schedule that works for your family.

Questions? Contact Us!

  • (800) 470-2891
  • contact@readingprograms.org
Enroll Now

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