#19 Reading Mistake: Expecting Strong Comprehension Before Decoding Is Automatic

One of the most common misconceptions in reading instruction is that comprehension and decoding are separate skills that develop independently. As a result, teachers sometimes become concerned when a student struggles to answer comprehension questions, assuming the problem lies in understanding the text.

But often, the real challenge begins much earlier. If a student is using all of their mental effort to identify individual words, there is very little cognitive capacity left to think about what those words actually mean. That’s why one reading mistake to avoid this school year is expecting strong comprehension before decoding is automatic.

Decoding Comes Before Comprehension of Printed Text

Reading comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading. However, comprehension of printed text depends on accurate and efficient word recognition. Think about learning to drive a car. When you first begin driving, every action requires conscious attention. You think about the brake, the accelerator, the mirrors, your speed, and the cars around you. Your brain is working overtime simply operating the vehicle. As you gain experience, those skills become automatic. You no longer think about every movement, allowing your brain to focus on navigation, traffic patterns, and arriving safely at your destination.

Reading develops in much the same way.

Beginning readers devote tremendous mental effort to decoding. They are analyzing sounds, blending phonemes, recognizing spelling patterns, and identifying words. Until those skills become automatic, much of their working memory is occupied with simply figuring out the words. Once decoding becomes automatic, cognitive resources are freed for higher-level thinking.

Now students can:

  • make predictions
  • visualize the text
  • infer meaning
  • connect ideas
  • learn new vocabulary
  • monitor their understanding
  • think critically about what they are reading

Automatic decoding doesn’t replace comprehension. It supports it.

The Simple View of Reading

This relationship is well explained by the Simple View of Reading, first proposed by Philip Gough and William Tunmer. The model states that:

Reading Comprehension = Word Recognition + Language Comprehension

Both components are essential. A student may have excellent oral language and still struggle to understand printed text if decoding is weak. Likewise, a student who can decode accurately but has limited vocabulary or background knowledge may also struggle with comprehension. Successful reading requires both.

Working Memory Has Limits

Our working memory can only hold a limited amount of information at one time. When decoding is slow and effortful, working memory becomes overloaded. Instead of thinking about the meaning of the passage, students are thinking about individual words. Research consistently shows that automatic word recognition reduces cognitive load, allowing students to devote more attention to comprehension.

This Doesn’t Mean We Wait to Teach Comprehension

Sometimes this message is misunderstood. Developing decoding skills does not mean we ignore comprehension until students become fluent readers.

Far from it.

Teachers should be building language comprehension every single day through:

  • rich read-alouds
  • meaningful discussions
  • vocabulary instruction
  • background knowledge
  • questioning
  • oral storytelling

Students can understand language long before they can independently read it. The key is recognizing the difference between listening comprehension and reading comprehension. When students cannot comprehend text they are reading themselves, ask whether the obstacle is truly comprehension—or whether they are simply using most of their mental energy to decode the words.

What Teachers Can Do Instead

To strengthen reading comprehension, continue building automatic word recognition by providing:

  • explicit, systematic phonics instruction
  • daily decoding practice
  • repeated reading of connected text
  • decodable texts that match students’ phonics knowledge
  • opportunities to reread for fluency
  • instruction that develops both decoding and oral language

As decoding becomes increasingly automatic, comprehension naturally becomes easier because students can finally devote their attention to understanding rather than simply identifying words.

Final Takeaway

Reading comprehension begins with accurate, automatic word recognition. When students no longer have to spend all of their mental energy figuring out the words, their brains are free to think about ideas, make connections, and enjoy what they are reading. Automatic decoding doesn’t compete with comprehension. It makes comprehension possible.

Every child deserves a teacher who understands how the brain learns to read. If you’re ready to deepen your knowledge of structured literacy and evidence-based reading instruction, we’d be honored to be part of your journey. Explore the training opportunities available through Orton Gillingham Online Academy and discover practical tools and strategies that can make a lasting difference in the lives of your students.

Learn more at: Orton Gillingham Online Academy

References

Gough, P. B., & Tunmer, W. E. (1986). Decoding, reading, and reading disability. Remedial and Special Education, 7(1), 6–10.

Hoover, W. A., & Gough, P. B. (1990). The Simple View of Reading. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 2(2), 127–160.

LaBerge, D., & Samuels, S. J. (1974). Toward a theory of automatic information processing in reading. Cognitive Psychology, 6(2), 293–323.

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching Children to Read.

Perfetti, C. A. (1985). Reading Ability. New York: Oxford University Press.

Ehri, L. C. (2005). Learning to Read Words: Theory, Findings, and Issues. Scientific Studies of Reading, 9(2), 167–188.