A model of the decoding process as utilized in silent reading on the college level was reported. The model was conceptualized as a pyramid, whose apex represented silent reading comprehension. The body of the total reading model rested on the foundations of basic reading skills and higher-level reading skills which were followed by tentative instructional levels and various study skills. These were succeeded by reading readiness in subject matters and instructional reading materials that affected vocabularies and flexible reading rates. Ascending to the apex of the pyramid, the integral parts of the decoding processes converged in directed reading activities whose terminal output was silent reading comprehension. Each integral part could freely intercommunicate with any of the other components and all integral parts together constituted the greatest possible silent reading comprehension. References are included. (Author/WB)