Make 4th Grade a Story of Success

Weekly online classes last for 75 minutes and include guided reading and skill development with the support of an expert teacher, plus fun group discussions and activities. Between classes, students keep making individual progress as they complete reading assignments and interactive skill lessons. Your son or daughter will get almost daily reinforcement of the exact skills for success at school in the fall.

Our average class size is 12 students. To foster engaging class activities and discussions while ensuring personal attention for every student, we limit enrollment to a maximum of 16 students per class.

Our online classes take place via Zoom. You will need reliable internet access and a computer, tablet, or other Zoom-compatible device to participate.

Yes! If you need to miss a class, we offer complimentary online make-up classes that feature the same curriculum and learning experiences. Your child won’t miss a beat in the program.

The Institute of Reading Development is a reading education provider that offers programs in partnership with colleges and universities. Over the last 54 years, we've worked with more than 200 academic institutions to inspire over 3 million students to become skilled, enthusiastic readers.

Our teachers are experts in the skills students need to succeed in every stage of reading development. They know how to bring books to life and provide engaging reading experiences that kids want to have over and over again.

Thanks to our 50+ years of experience hiring and training only the best instructors, we are confident that your child’s teacher will be dynamic, warm, and passionate about books and reading. Your child will love the teacher - and so will you!

Parents play a supporting role by ensuring their child completes independent practice during the week. We handle the rest, making it hassle-free for you.

We already know you believe it's important for your child to become a reader. Enrolling in our program will let your child know it, too.

Students learn essential reading skills for success in 4th grade, including comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, and strategies for working with textbooks and nonfiction. Our program combines weekly online classes led by expert teachers with structured interactive lessons and guided activities between classes. We offer two Summer sessions, each with its own curriculum, unique skill lessons, and age-appropriate books.

Early Summer Titles

• The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Late Summer Titles

• Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
• The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies

By investing in core skill development now, you'll ensure that your child has a productive and enjoyable time in 4th grade. Best of all, they will be well on the way to becoming a reader, which is the key to future academic success.

Summer learning loss is the decline in skills that children commonly experience over summer break. As reading skills are fundamental to many areas of school, losing them over the summer can affect a student's overall academic experience and negatively impact confidence and motivation. With outstanding books at the right level of challenge, plus the structure and support to practice key skills over the summer, our students don't just avoid summer learning loss—they make substantial reading gains.

Our students discover that the rewards of being a reader go well beyond school. Reading expands children's horizons and gives them access to an endless source of inspiration and wisdom. As they imagine new possibilities, their dreams take flight. And best of all, reading empowers them to make these dreams come true.

In this program, your child’s reading comprehension in fiction and nonfiction will soar. With better comprehension comes deeper focus, which makes reading more fun and meaningful.

Yes, in our program, kids learn how to comprehend and remember important ideas from challenging nonfiction and textbooks. These skills will unlock your child’s academic potential.

Yes, we'll help your child become a strong student with a rich vocabulary and the ability to read fluently and rapidly. This will make learning and studying much easier.

Absolutely, reading and studying can be challenging. As your child masters core skills in this program, frustration, tears, and resistance to schoolwork will melt away.

Great experiences with books are the best motivator for working on reading skills. Our expert teachers bring the wonderful books in our program to life and get kids excited about reading.

Yes, with the skills your child develops in our program, they will be able to read with less effort and for longer periods of time in increasingly challenging books.

Discovering a love of books opens new worlds for children. Great experiences with the outstanding children's novels in our program will inspire your child and nurture their imagination.

Yes, regular reading has a big payoff for kids: stronger comprehension, a richer vocabulary, and greater success in school. This program will make reading an important part of your child's life, now and in the future.