What Are The Three Levels of Reading?

At its core, reading can be understood through its different levels, each providing a deeper comprehension and insight than the last. These levels are commonly categorized as reading “on the lines,” “between the lines,” and “beyond the lines.” 

• Reading On the Lines—This is the simplest level of reading, where the reader understands and takes in information right from the text. It means recognizing words and sentences and the exact meaning they give. At this step, students focus on understanding things that are directly mentioned, like facts, names, dates, and descriptions.
• Reading Between the Lines – As students improve their reading skills, they’ll start to understand things not clearly said in the text. This means you’ll be able to pick up on the nuances, understand the tone, notice when the writer uses irony or metaphors, and find the hidden messages in the text. This level of reading is crucial for fully understanding the material, as it goes beyond just the basic meaning.
• Reading Beyond the Lines – At this advanced level of reading, students go beyond the words on the page to think about and form ideas, guesses, or predictions that extend far beyond the text itself. They use the information as a springboard for deeper reflection, asking big-picture questions and exploring how the ideas presented may apply in broader contexts. 

Understanding and practicing these three levels of reading can significantly enhance students’ analytical skills, comprehension, and reading enjoyment. Each level builds upon the last, improving engagement and comprehension.

Reading Between the Lines, On the Lines, and Beyond!

This resource includes a printable trio of student reference posters designed to provide them with an easy reference tool for remembering the different levels of reading. These bright and visually appealing posters are perfect for adding to a classroom reading wall or inserting into students’ reading notebooks for quick access. You’ll find a poster for each of the following:

• Reading On the Lines
• Reading Between the Lines
• Reading Beyond the Lines

We have included full-color and black-and-white versions of these posters for ease of use.

Download and Print!

This resource is available as an easy-to-use Google Slides or PDF Resource file. To get your copy, click the dropdown arrow on the download button to select your preferred file format. 

This resource was created by Lindsey Phillips, a teacher in Michigan and Teach Starter Collaborator.

Even More Ways to Improve Student Reading Skills!

Don’t stop there! Make sure you check out these printable resources to give your students a reading boost!

teaching resource

How to Make a Monster Reading Comprehension Activity

Read and comprehend a set of instructions to create a magical monster!

teaching resource

'I Can' Statements - Reading (Upper Elementary)

A set of 26 'I can' statement cards focusing on reading for upper elementary.

teaching resource

Finding the Main Idea in Fiction Texts Interactive Activity

Help your students easily find the main idea and support details in a fiction text with this interactive activity.