1) Lexical Comprehension: Understanding key vocabulary words in a text.

Leveled readers are written in a way that too many big words are not used on the same
page. In addition, if an unfamiliar word is used, it is generally explained within the
same sentence or with a definition box in the margin. Also, words with multiple
meanings may make it difficult for a less experienced reader to truly understand what is
meant.
2) Literal Comprehension:
The literal level focuses on reading the passages, hearing the words or viewing the
images. It involves identifying the important and essential information. With guidance,
students can distinguish between the important and less important ideas. Literal
comprehension answers the questions Who, What, When, and Where with information
found directly in the text.
3) Interpretive Comprehension:
At the interpretive level, the focus shifts to reading between the lines, looking at what is
implied by the material under study. It requires students to combine pieces of
information in order to make inferences about the author's intent and message. Guiding
students to recognize these perceived relationships promotes understanding and
decreases the risk of being overwhelmed by the complexities of the text being viewed,
heard or read. The interpretive level Answers the questions What if, Why, and How by
inferring information from the text.
4) Applied Comprehension:
Understandings at the literal and interpretive levels are combined, reorganized and
restructured at the applied level to express opinions, draw new insights and develop
fresh ideas. Guiding students through the applied level shows them how to synthesize
information, to read between the lines and to develop a deeper understanding of the
concepts,

principles

and

implications

presented

in

the

text.

Answers opinion questions or questions that have the reader relate the new information
to background knowledge.

5) Affective Comprehension: Understanding the social and emotional aspects of a text. If

a readers does not grasp why certain characters in a story may respond in a certain
manner, they get lost in the words and the plot.
. Burns (1996:255) bahwa membaca pemahaman terdiri empat tingkatan, yaitu pemahaman
literal (literal comprehension), pemahaman interpretative (interpretative comprehension),
pemahaman

kritis

comprehension)

(critical

comprehe-ndsion)

dan

pemahaman

kreatif

(creative