Khairunnisa Othman2026-03-162026-03-162026https://studentrepo.iium.edu.my/handle/123456789/33991Academic reading remains a persistent global challenge, and Malaysia is no exception especially within the context of tertiary English education. English as a second language (ESL) learners, specifically students in pre-university programs, must navigate complex and challenging academic texts to engage critically and produce scholarly discourse. For Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) preuniversity students, this challenge is compounded by linguistic limitations and the demand for higher-order metacognitive regulation. In response, the Flipped Classroom approach has been adopted as a learner-centered model that positions academic reading as an autonomous cognitive activity during preparatory stages. At the same time, various initiatives such as the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015-2025, The National Reading Decade and the National Reading Index have emphasized the urgency of cultivating lifelong reading habits and higher-order literacy. Within this context, decision-making is recognized as one of the 21st-century core skills, and in this study, it is examined through the lens of metacognitive strategies which guide how TESL pre-university students identify, evaluate, and select credible information. This qualitative exploratory case study investigated the decision-making styles of nine TESL pre-university students within a Flipped Classroom approach at a Malaysian public university. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, researcher’s field notes, and participants’ reflection logs, and analyzed thematically. Findings indicate that students predominantly adopted vigilant and hypervigilant decision-making styles. A key emergent insight was the role of artificial intelligence tools in augmenting students’ reading processes. These AI-augmented readers used digital tools to simplify complex texts, generate elaboration, and personalize information searches. The study contributes a preliminary framework of AI-augmented readers within the Flipped Classroom, offering practical implications to strengthen English academic reading, advancing metacognitive strategy use, and aligning higher education practices with Malaysia’s literacy and digital transformation goals.enOpen AccessEnglish Academic Reading;Decision-making;Artificial IntelligenceReading (Higher education) -- MalaysiaDoctoral Theses