3.1 An overview of the significance
Larsen-Freeman & Anderson (2011) conceptualizes principled eclecticism in teaching as a coherent and diverse approach to target language learning, wherein activities are designed and implemented based on the focal points of language learning rather than solely from the perspective of the target language’s characteristics, such as vocabulary and grammar. This approach acknowledges that foreign language learners’ motivations, experiences, and objectives vary due to internal and external factors (Cai, 2022; Dizon & Thanyawatpokin, 2021; Pasban & Narafshan, 2020; Peng et al., 2022), necessitating course designs and implementations that are congruent with these characteristics and needs. Principled eclecticism in teaching, therefore, involves instructing learners on topics directly relevant to them and guiding them through learning tasks in a meaningful learning environment that effectively facilitates the acquisition of target language knowledge and skills.
Three key elements are essential for the effective application of principled eclecticism in foreign language classrooms: the teacher’s professional autonomy and ability to apply knowledge usefully; an understanding of learners’ experiences and cultural backgrounds coupled with an assessment of their strengths and needs; and the adoption of appropriate teaching methods based on instructional content to create authentic and useful language use contexts (Cushing-Leubner & Bigelow, 2014). Mellow (2002) asserts that the design of classroom activities within the principled eclecticism framework should carefully consider the coherence and gradual progression of language forms and functions. For example, after teaching a grammatical concept, appropriate contexts must be provided for learners to practice and apply this knowledge, ultimately enabling them to use what they have learned in real-life situations. In the classroom, the role of the teacher is that of a facilitator, while students are active participants in the learning process (Mwanza, 2017). The teaching strategies employed include enhancing learning opportunities, fostering communicative interaction, reducing cognitive disparities, stimulating learning perception, cultivating linguistic awareness, contextualizing language input, integrating language skills, promoting learner autonomy, increasing cultural awareness, and ensuring societal relevance (Cushing-Leubner & Bigelow, 2014; Kumaravadivelu, 2006; Rian, 2016). In terms of instructional materials and methods, the characteristics of the grammar-translation method, such as explaining new vocabulary and syntactic points according to learners’ levels, are suitable for teaching new words, sentence patterns, and text-based lessons (Mellow, 2002). The audio-lingual method focuses on practicing pronunciation, vocabulary, phrases, and sentence patterns through repeated exercises to habitualize the use of the target language (Mellow, 2002), making it ideal for practicing new words, sentences, dialogues, and substitution drills within the course material. The direct method emphasizes teaching in the target language to immerse learners fully in the target language environment, fostering their ability to think and learn directly in the target language (Mellow, 2002). Demonstrations and the use of visual and physical aids to facilitate understanding are common tools in the direct method (Toreniyazova & Otegenova, 2022; Djauhar, 2021), especially suitable for learners from diverse national backgrounds where translating using a single auxiliary language is challenging and for materials featuring cultural characteristics of the target language.
In summary, principled eclecticism in teaching advocates that no single teaching method can achieve instructional effectiveness on its own. A flexible integration of the strengths of various teaching methods is recommended to tailor lesson plans to different teaching situations within the diverse atmosphere of foreign language classrooms. This approach aims to meet the varied characteristics and needs of learners, thereby maximizing learning outcomes and setting a trend for the development of foreign language teaching (Asif & Khan, 2022).