Language/Reading Curriculum in the Fourth Grade
Reading Policy
The national curriculum and a legislative decree on reading instruction reflect the current concept of reading literacy as a necessary means of communication and continuing education and as a basis of lifelong learning. The basis of literacy education is to learn basic literary theory and work on textual and contextual exercises connected to reading and writing. Reading development is understood to encompass acquiring and using reading skills and, in a wider sense, the ability to use reading as an important means of individual, cultural, and personal development. Engaging with a variety of texts enables students to appreciate national culture and to develop moral, aesthetic, and social values.
Introduction to reading starts with compulsory schooling at age 6. Students normally learn the letters of the alphabet by May or June of the first year of primary school, though different primers introduce the letters in varying sequence. The curriculum requires children to learn the whole alphabet until the end of the second year of primary school. Although reading and writing are developed simultaneously in most classes, some primers concentrate on reading before beginning the writing process. This is true for teaching block letters and script as well.
Summary of National Curriculum
The national curriculum is mandatory and comprises general instructions for teaching methods and specific instructions for subject content. Within the framework of the national curriculum, teachers are free to choose methods of reading instruction and technology use, but a balanced approach that connects learning to read, speak, and write is recommended. Students should achieve competency in reading skills according to their abilities. Teachers should use differentiated instruction based on individual student differences, including initial ranges of abilities prior to entering compulsory school, linguistic competence, motivation, interest in learning, learning ability, and social background. Special consideration is given to children whose first language is not German. The combined instructional time for German, reading, and writing is approximately seven hours per week.
Methods used for developing reading and writing literacy should differ based on the creativity, thinking, experience, and independence of the students in the class. Teachers in Austrian schools may choose the whole language method or the phonics method to teach students reading. The most frequent recommendations for motivating children to read include using a variety of texts, letting children choose texts, and using new media. In any case, texts should be interesting and adapted to the development of the reader.
The national curriculum objectives in reading to be reached by the end of Grade 4 include:
- Skillfully reading aloud and/or silently
- Developing an awareness of fiction and nonfiction text through reading, analysis, and explanation
- Reading aloud fluently and accurately with a speed and intonation close to real speech
- Demonstrating knowledge of various forms of literary work, such as folk poetry, tales, stories, instructional and popular works, articles suitable for children, and children’s literature
- Using books and libraries, including familiarity with the content and form of books, periodicals, newspapers, and their place and arrangement in the library