Background: Reading component models such as the Simple View of Reading (SVR; Gough & Tunmer, 1986; Hoover & Gough, 1990) provide a concise framework for describing the processes and skills involved when readers comprehend texts. According to the Independent Review of the Teaching of Early Reading (Rose, 2006) strong evidence for the SVR comes from Factor Analysis of datasets on different measures of reading showing dissociation between decoding skills and comprehension. To the best of our knowledge, only two such published studies exist to date. Of these, only one of is in English and this explores children between the age of 7 and 10 years.

Aims: To explore the SVR in English-speaking children aged 4 and 6 using Factor Analysis.

Samples: 116 4-year-olds and 116 6-year-olds in the US; 103 6-year-olds in Canada.

Methods: All children were administered a battery of decoding and comprehension related measures.

Results: Factor Analysis of the diverse measures undertaken independently by two research teams in different countries demonstrated that listening comprehension and decoding measures loaded as distinct factors in both samples of young English-speaking children.

Conclusions: The present findings provide important support for the generality and validity of the SVR framework as a model of reading.