Decision-Making Skills in Independent Reading: Malaysian TESL Pre-University Students’ Perceptions through Herbert Simon’s Decision-Making Framework

Independent academic reading within academic context requires learners to make continual decisions about which strategies to apply, how to allocate time, and when to adjust approaches. For TESL pre-university students in Malaysia, these decisions are critical as they engage with complex academic texts in preparation for higher education. Drawing on Herbert A. Simon’s decision-making framework, which emphasizes bounded rationality and satisficing under constraints, this concept paper attempts to explore how these advanced language learners perceive decision-making during independent academic reading. Prior research highlights that while ESL learners report strong awareness of reading strategies, performance gaps remain, often due to difficulties in monitoring comprehension and adapting strategies effectively. By situating reading within Simon’s bounded rationality, this study conceptualizes decision-making skills as problem-solving under cognitive and contextual limitations. Findings are expected to shed light on the decision points learners identify (e.g., slowing down, rereading, or seeking external support) and the cues that shape those choices. The study contributes theoretically by reframing decision-making process in academic reading practically by offering insights for TESL instructors to scaffold adaptive choices, thereby enhancing reading literacy and supporting Malaysia’s broader educational agenda.