The Simple View of Reading and Why It Matters for ELLs

So you're bringing up about the “Simple View of Reading.” And what I want to say about that is Gough and Tunmer very brilliantly said reading, let's do it very simply. In reading, you have to have language comprehension, right? And we need to get to that reading comprehension, right? And you have to have decoding skills to get to that comprehension. So that's where we have, I've got to be able to decode and have that instant word recognition so that I can spend my time really focused on the meaning. And let's say I'm really good at decoding, decoding, decoding, but I don't have enough language comprehension to get to that deep reading comprehension. Well, then that doesn't make me a proficient reader. Or let's say I have wonderful language skills and comprehension, but I can't decode. That still doesn't get me to skilled reading.

I need both. I need to be able to see that print and instantly recognize it, decode it, and I've got to have that deep language to get to that deep meaning.