Impact of self-regulated learning on students’ English reading achievement and reading behaviour

This study examines the effect of a self-regulated learning (SRL) intervention on English reading achievement and reading behavior of Chinese secondary school students. The intervention is an eight-step form that was developed based on Zimmerman’s three-phase cyclical model. A concurrent embedded mixed-methods design was employed to collect data at a secondary school in a second-tier city in China, involving 208 students from Grades 7 and 8 in a quasi-experimental study, and 18 of these students in a qualitative study. The results showed that students in the experimental groups achieved significantly higher English reading scores. The students reported their engagement with the intervention and their comments on its impact in the qualitative data, revealing individual differences in the use and perceptions of the intervention form. This study has practical implications for improving SRL-based instruction in EFL settings and for enriching teacher professional development in integrating both subject-based training and SRL-based instruction.