Language/Reading Curriculum in the Fourth Grade
Reading Policy
Three main goals of Saudi education policy focus on the Arabic language:1
- Developing reading skills and making reading a habit and a gateway to knowledge
- Acquiring the ability to express oneself fluently (e.g., by speaking and writing, using proper language, organizing one’s thoughts)
- Developing linguistic ability in ways that enrich Arabic and recognize the beauty of Arabic phrases and words
In the process of developing Saudi Arabia’s curriculum, the Ministry of Education applied a philosophy of educating teachers in the skills of communication, conversation, presentation, thinking, self-learning, and problem solving. Language instruction should focus on linguistic methods and types of conjugation in addition to grammatical functions.
Linguistic methods and types of conjugation are first presented in the first and second stages of primary education (Grades 1 to 3 and Grades 4 to 6), and repeated in the intermediate grades (Grades 7 to 9). Student goals differ between stages. In the first primary stage, students should learn the names of linguistic features. In the second primary stage, students should be able to name, imitate, categorize, and recognize textual features. By the intermediate stage, students should have mastered the skills from the first two stages and should be able to produce different types of text, identify component parts of sentences (e.g., subject, verb, object), define conjugated types of text, and draw mind maps for various text styles.
Teachers present grammatical functions from the fourth primary grade (Grade 4) until the third intermediate grade (Grade 9). Teachers present these functions as grammatical topics (e.g., subject or direct object), taking into consideration that there is no single way to describe a text, and allowing time during instruction for students to take notes and summarize their learning.
Summary of National Curriculum
The major competencies in reading that students are expected to have by Grade 4 include reading written symbols (e.g., letters and words) and knowing how to pronounce them, reading written symbols to build meaning, understanding and analyzing texts, appreciating and criticizing text, and using search strategies. Reading written symbols to build meaning includes targeted skills such as practicing reading (e.g., reading songs and lyrics, reading texts aloud with correct pronunciation, reading three line texts silently, reading short stories) and memorizing texts (e.g., poems and verses of the Quran and the Hadith). Understanding and analyzing texts requires the following skills:
- Learning new vocabulary and using strategies to find the meanings of new words—Discovering the meaning of new vocabulary via synonyms, antonyms, and contexts; using words appropriately; and categorizing words grammatically and semantically
- Comprehending details and drawing conclusions—Paraphrasing text in a few lines and answering comprehensive questions about the text
- Analyzing the context of written texts—Extracting the main and secondary ideas and themes, suggesting suitable titles for the text, and specifying the moral of the story or text
- Analyzing texts according to their structures—Analyzing the structure of simple recitative texts, drawing cognitive mind maps of narrative texts, drawing cognitive mind maps of texts based on comparisons, and distinguishing among genres (e.g., poetry, short stories, speeches)
Targeted skills pertaining to appreciating and criticizing text include being able to reflect on a text critically (i.e., expressing a point of view on the text’s values) and describe it. The latter skill includes the following: specifying the main features of prominent characters; comparing synonymous words; differentiating between real and fictional expressions; recognizing similes (e.g., “as brave as a lion”); defining verses and phrases about specific ideas; eliciting images and prospects from texts; identifying the plot and major event of narrative texts; defining the elements of motion, sound, and color in texts; and explaining verses and/or stanzas in poems.
Targeted search strategy skills include searching for and obtaining information using paper sources and electronic media. When using paper sources, students should use the book title, author, table of contents, and chapter titles to recognize and place information in books in addition to using a dictionary to learn the meaning of words and differentiating between a lexicon and a dictionary. Students also should use compact discs with dictionaries, lexicons, textbooks, and teacher’s guides.
The structure of the reading curriculum includes topics and units.2 General topics are developed throughout each grade, and each unit has a subjective “pivot” or theme that is explored through reading. The topics and pivots in the reading curriculum for the second stage of primary education (Grades 4 to 6) are presented in Exhibit 1.
Exhibit 1: Students’ Book Unit Topics and Pivots, Grades 4 to 6
| Topics | Grade 4 | Pivots Grade 5 |
Grade 6 |
| Values |
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| The Nation |
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| The Environment |
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| Science |
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| Health |
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| Society |
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| Professions |
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| Culture |
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