title: Prologue: Reading Comprehension Is Not a Single Ability.
abstract: In this initial article of the clinical forum on reading comprehension, we argue that reading comprehension is not a single ability that can be assessed by one or more general reading measures or taught by a small set of strategies or approaches.
  
  
  
  We present evidence for a multidimensional view of reading comprehension that demonstrates how it varies as a function of reader ability, text, and task. The implications of this view for instruction of reading comprehension are considered.
  
  
  
  Reading comprehension is best conceptualized with a multidimensional model. The multidimensionality of reading comprehension means that instruction will be more effective when tailored to student performance with specific texts and tasks.
authors.affiliation: Florida State University, Tallahassee.
authors.forename: Hugh W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Catts
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina-Greensboro.
authors.forename: Alan G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Kamhi
mesh_terms: D032882:Comprehension; D006801:Humans; D011578:Psycholinguistics; D011932:Reading; D013334:Students; D013663:Teaching