A Different View on the Simple View of Reading. (December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Apel, Kenn
• Is Part Of: Remedial and special education. Volume 43:Number 6(2022)
• Page Start: 434
• Page End: 447
• Publication Date: 2022-12
• Subjects: simple view of reading -- validity -- spoken and written language -- metalinguistic skills; Special education -- Periodicals; Learning disabilities -- Periodicals; 371.905
• DOI: 10.1177/07419325211063487
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0741-9325

Abstract

The simple view of reading (SVR) framework has been used for decades to explain two general component skills considered to contribute to reading comprehension: decoding and linguistic comprehension. In the past, researchers have assessed the linguistic comprehension component using a wide range of language and/or listening comprehension measures that differed from each other. Many of those tasks did not align with the concept of linguistic comprehension originally proposed. Regardless, the studies' outcomes were similar: The SVR model adequately represents the process of reading comprehension. In this article, I propose a common thread that links those diverse measurement tasks: all the tasks measured students' metalinguistic skills. In fact, the findings from these studies mirror those found from investigations directly measuring the influence of language awareness abilities on reading comprehension. I conclude the article with the theoretical and educational implications of taking a different view of the second component of the SVR model.