Self-Regulated Reading: Insights from a Phenomenological Study of Primary 6 Students in Singapore

Abstract Reading is a key ingredient in a student’s education and their success as life-long learners. It is important in any subject taught in school, as textbooks and other written media are used to convey information being taught. Reading comprehension is an important component for student success both in and out of school. Reading is a key ingredient in a student’s education and their success as life-long learners. Students who self-regulate and take charge of their own reading will have a higher opportunity of achieving success. This study examines the self-regulated reading of Primary 6 students. This study investigated, through the transcendental phenomenological method, the self-regulated reading of the students with a focus on reading comprehension. Participants were asked to verbalize their experiences and provide descriptions of how they approached reading comprehension tasks. In so doing, they provide an understanding of the decisions, thought processes and experiences involved, as they engaged in the metacognitive, motivational and behavioral components of self-regulated reading.