Approximately two decades ago Gough and Tunmer (1986) proposed the Simple View of Reading (SVR) according to which reading comprehension (RC) is equal to the product of two separate components; decoding (D) and linguistic comprehension (C), thus RC=D x C
Georgiou, G.K., Das, J.P., Hayward, D. (2008). Revisiting the "Simple View of Reading" in a Group of Children with Poor Reading Comprehension. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 42 p.76-84.
Consistent with previous studies (e.g., Das et al., 2007; Janzen, 2000), the participants performed below grade level in reading comprehension (Grade Equivalent = 2.5, M[ean] standard score = 87.86, SD [standard deviation] = 8.29), but within grade level in decoding (Grade Equivalent= 3.9, M standard score = 98.16, SD = 8.29) and listening comprehension (Grade Equivalent = 3.9, M standard score = 100.62, SD = 7.99). If both decoding and listening comprehension are within grade level, then their product (D x C) should be within grade level. However, reading comprehension was well below grade level.
Georgiou, G.K., Das, J.P., Hayward, D. (2008). Revisiting the "Simple View of Reading" in a Group of Children with Poor Reading Comprehension. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 42 p.76-84.
The authors do not speculate on what, for these students, might be needed in addition to decoding and listening comprehension.
