THE LIFE SKILLS OF OUTSTANDING INDEPENDENT READERS: A MULTIPLE CASE STUDY

The purpose of this multiple case study was to describe the five different cases of outstanding independent readers in the public secondary schools in Davao del Norte in terms of their life skills. The unique cases revolved around a campus journalist, a volleyball athlete, a student leader, a consistent honor student, and a student with autism spectrum. The cases were identified using maximum variation sampling, and in-depth interviews were employed to explore and gather data in this research. Salient findings were noted as to the experiences of outstanding independent readers which include early reading opportunities and support, sharing of reading abilities to other students, allocation of time for reading, and utilization of gadgets for reading. More so, their coping strategies were summarized in the following themes: enrichment of vocabulary, adoption of reading tactics, development of set of values for reading, and application of leadership skills. In the cross-case analysis of research data, all cases were generally similar. Notably, the only difference is that the student with autism preferred reading by himself unlike the other cases of students who viewed reading as a collaborative experience. It was realized that while cognitive capacities are essential in learning reading, socio-emotional aspects of outstanding readers such as their life skills must also be considered in schools. KEYWORDS: independent reading, life skills, public secondary schools, multiple case study, Philippines