Navigating an eclectic methodology: EFL teachers’ perceptions and practices

Abstract

The successful implementation of any method or approach in language teaching depends largely on teachers’ attitudes, behaviors, and actions inside and outside the classroom. This quantitative study examines the perceptions and practices of sixty-five EFL teachers regarding the implementation of an eclectic methodology at a prominent public university in Mexico. Its researcher-designed questionnaire revealed that the methodology is flexible and practical, and it is not difficult to implement compared to previous methods. In terms of teaching practices, the analysis uncovered two opposing tendencies: divergent and convergent practices toward the eclectic methodology theoretical principles. Moreover, the top three practices were related to students’ language production, which belongs to the convergent tendency. The contribution that these results bring to the ELT field is relevant due to the novelty of the subject of study but, more importantly, to gaining an understanding of how teachers’ perceptions shape the way they teach in class in a context where an eclectic methodology is implemented.