Forth Grade

In forth grade, children continue to read to learn.  Their language skills need to be strong in order to understand the information that is presented in class as well as in their written material.   The following are expectations for third grade children's language skills.  Information is taken from A Guide to School Services in Speech-Language Pathology by Trici Schraeder, ...)

Talking:

• Uses 8 to 9 words in a sentence
• Produces all speech sounds correctly
• Uses correct grammar in conversation (including correct word order, noun-verb agreement, reflexive pronouns, negatives, complex sentences and comparative adjectives).
• Uses prepositions (location, time, direction) and subordinating conjunctions (before, after, while).
• Creates a story to share with others with appropriate sequence and transitions.
• Summarizes information presented orally by others
• Creates and participates in oral dramatic activities
• Defines objects by use, size, shape, function and location
• Initiates communication with others, engages in conversation with turn taking, adapts or changes conversation to fit the circumstance, stays on topic for 20 to 30 minutes, requests clarification, gives clarification
• Uses oral language to persuade, entertain and uses humor
• Uses prefixes, suffices, homonyms, synonyms, antonyms, and word analogies
• Distinguishes between fact and fiction and provides evidence
• Predicts outcomes
• draws conclusions
• Understands cause and effect

Listening:

• Responds to questions 85% of the time
• Answers who, what, where, when, why, and how questions
• Follows three and four step directions
• Adds or deletes sounds to make new words, counts syllables in 3 syllable words, creates a rhyme, blends sounds to make word parts and words with 1 to 4 syllables
• Uses the telephone to take massages