By then end of the fourth grade, a child working at the standard level should become a quicker and more fluent reader. He will begin to understand the meaning of synonyms, antonyms and homonyms, and he can identify and comprehend the meaning of compound words. Your child will continue to build upon his vocabulary, and should immediately recognize a large number of words without needing to sound them out. Your child should also feel comfortable using punctuation cues to add meaning to a sentence.
Your child will know how to identify with characters in stories by using her own experiences to relate with those of the characters. She should easily identify character traits, and be able to compare and contrast events that have occurred in the story after reading a passage. Your child should make and verify predictions about the story by using her understanding of the text and the ideas presented within. She will know the different methods for reading for pleasure, for study or for comprehension.
Your child's understanding of the world around him should improve drastically during the fourth grade. He will learn the cardinal and intermediate directions on a map, and he will learn to identify the four hemispheres. Your child will learn about basic land structures such as mountains, islands and peninsulas, and where the equator and prime meridian are located. Your child's knowledge of the U.S. will grow as he learns about the country's five regions and where they are located on a map.
Parents should take an active interest in their child's education to help her excel in school and meet the education standards of her grade. To create a positive learning environment at home, parents should establish a regular routine for when their child eats, sleeps and studies. Your child needs a study area where she can work every night on her homework. Parents should let their child know that they expect her to do well in school and give her praise when she meets those expectations.