February 1, 2024

Reading Skills: A Grade by Grade Guide (4-6)

This grade by grade guide will explain where your child should be with his reading skills in 4th-6th grade.

The new school year is upon us! Do you wonder what reading skills your child should have by the end of his or her respective grade? Refer to the grade-by-grade guide below, based on the Illinois’ common core standards.

Reading Skills By Grade:

By Fourth Grade Your Child Should Be Able To:

determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in text	describe a character, setting, or event in depth	explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose	compare and contrast points of view
read and comprehend stories, dramas, and poetry	explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in historical, scientific, or technical texts	determine meaning of academic and domain-specific words or phrases	describe text structures (problem/solution, cause/effect, comparison, chronology)
interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively and use it to understand text	integrate information from two texts in order to write or speak about the topic knowledgeably	accurately read unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context or out of context	read on-level text with purpose and understanding

By Fifth Grade Your Child Should Be Able To:

quote accurately from text when explaining explicit information vs inferences	compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events	determine meanings of words and phrases, including figurative language	explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fit together to provide an overall text structure
compare and contrast stories in the same genre	determine two or more main ideas of a text, explain how they are supported by key details, and summarize the text	draw on information from multiple print or digital sources to answer questions or solve problems efficiently	read on-level with purpose and understanding

By Sixth Grade Your Child Should Be Able To:

determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through details	describe how a story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes and how characters responds or change	explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator	compare and contrast experience of reading a story/drama/poem with listening to or viewing audio, video, or live version
analyze how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text	determine meaning of words and phrases, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings	integrate information presented in different media or formats and in words to develop understanding of a topic/issue	read and comprehend literary nonfiction

All standards have been reported from the Illinois State Board of Education. Additional standards are expected that have not been stated above. If you are concerned with your child’s reading skills, seek the guidance of a neuropsychologist who can help refer you to the appropriate support system.

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