2 The Origins and Development of Principled Eclecticism in Teaching
The precursor to what is now known as ”principled eclecticism” in teaching was initially referred to as the ”eclectic approach,” originating in the United States during the 1970s. At that time, the dominant paradigms in foreign language education were structured around the grammar-translation method, the direct method, and the audio-lingual method, each representing different educational philosophies: constructivism, direct instruction, and behaviorism, respectively. Given that foreign language acquisition is an active process of construction, where learners build understanding through personal experience and interpretation, it became evident that integrating multiple teaching methodologies could leverage the strengths and mitigate the limitations of each approach. Pioneers in the application of this integrated approach, such as language education experts Sweet and Palmer, combined direct teaching methods with explanations of grammar and translation, setting the stage for the eclectic method (Boswell, 1972; İşcan, 2017). This initiated a trend where language teachers, based on their professional judgment and consideration of the diverse and complex factors influencing the language classroom, began to integrate various teaching methods into their practice.
However, as the German philosopher Kant articulated, ”Theory without practice is empty; practice without theory is blind.” This cautionary perspective reflects the challenges encountered in the practical application of eclectic teaching. Misinterpretations of the eclectic approach led some educators to haphazardly combine teaching methods without a foundational theoretical or empirical basis, resulting in disorganized and ineffective instruction. This issue was particularly pronounced when teachers lacked sufficient expertise, making it difficult to maximize the benefits of any single teaching method and contributing to a sense of inadequacy within the profession (Weideman, 2001). Consequently, the concept of principled eclecticism in teaching emerged, advocating for a systematic integration and utilization of the strengths of different teaching methods, tailored to the goals, needs, characteristics, and contexts of learners. This conceptual evolution sparked a significant body of scholarly inquiry into the principles of eclecticism in foreign language education (Alharbi, 2017; Collins, 2004; Cushing-Leubner & Bigelow, 2014; Ironsi, 2020; Mason, 2023; Mellow, 2002; Min, 2009; Paramboor, 2015; Rakrak, 2022; Tabiri, 2016), laying the groundwork for future research and practice in this area.