Which two components are part of the Simple View of Reading?

The Simple View of Reading posits that reading comprehension is the result of two essential components: decoding and linguistic comprehension. Decoding refers to the ability to translate written text into spoken language by recognizing words and understanding their phonological structures. This skill is foundational for beginning readers as they learn to sound out words and develop fluency.

Linguistic comprehension, on the other hand, involves understanding the meaning of language, which includes vocabulary knowledge, sentence structure, and the ability to derive meaning from text. This encompasses the cognitive processes that allow readers to make sense of what they read, thereby contributing to overall comprehension.

By identifying these two components as critical to the act of reading, the Simple View of Reading helps educators focus on both the skills needed to decode text and the comprehension processes necessary to achieve understanding, emphasizing their interconnectedness in developing proficient readers. This framework guides instructional practices effectively by highlighting the need for balanced reading instruction that supports both components.