What does the Simple View of Reading assert about reading comprehension?

The Simple View of Reading emphasizes that reading comprehension is the outcome of two key components: decoding and language comprehension. Decoding refers to the ability to recognize and accurately pronounce written words, which involves the skills needed to convert text into spoken language. Language comprehension encompasses understanding the meaning of words, sentences, and texts, including vocabulary, syntax, and the ability to make inferences and draw conclusions.

This model asserts that both decoding and language comprehension must work together for effective reading comprehension. A student may have strong decoding skills but still struggle with understanding the text if their language comprehension skills are weak, and vice versa. Together, these elements create a comprehensive understanding of what is read, making option C the correct response. This holistic view underlines the complexity of reading as a cognitive process that cannot be attributed to a single skill alone.