In Line by Line: Progressive Staff Method Arrangements for Elementary Music Literacy, author Stephanie L. Standerfer harnesses years of pedagogical expertise in a practical guide that promotes music learning by experience rather than imitation and memorization. Using well-known songs and instrumental accompaniments, this book contains a new practical method for teaching music literacy. The book's lesson plans first introduce concepts to the ear and body that allow students to internalize the sound and feeling before learning the symbol. Through this method, students learn and understand songs without the teacher modeling them and develop musicianship skills in the process. The arrangements include instrument parts for the typical complement of melodic instruments including glockenspiels, xylophones, and metallophones. Each arrangement includes at least one instrument part for more advanced learners, and one or more parts for students at lower skill levels. Music educators then complete individual lesson plans by teaching instrumental parts, again from notation instead of imitation. In this method, each song is taught over five to seven class periods as short segments of a regular class meeting, leaving time for other musical experiences such as listening lessons or folk dances. Taking every student into consideration, Line by Line also suggests ways to address specific student needs for those who need more time to process or who have specific diagnosed issues.