The simple view of reading is a theoretical framework that explains reading comprehension as the product of two key skills: word recognition (decoding) and language comprehension. In other words, to read well and understand text, a person must be able to accurately and quickly decode written words and also understand the meaning of those words in context. Both skills are necessary; if either decoding or language comprehension is weak, reading comprehension will suffer. To put it simply, the formula is:
Reading Comprehension=Decoding×Language Comprehension\text{Reading Comprehension}=\text{Decoding}\times \text{Language Comprehension}Reading Comprehension=Decoding×Language Comprehension
This means:
- Decoding is translating printed words into spoken words.
- Language comprehension is understanding the meaning of those words within sentences and larger context.
Neither decoding alone nor language comprehension alone is enough for true reading comprehension. Both must work together for a person to fully understand what they are reading. This view guides literacy instruction to focus simultaneously on both accurate word reading and vocabulary and background knowledge development to improve understanding.
