A complexity theory perspective on EFL teachers’ beliefs, practices, and contexts

Although language teacher beliefs play a central role in shaping instructional practices, their dynamic, interconnected, and multifaceted nature as complex systems remain significantly underexplored. Addressing this gap and adopting complexity theory as the theoretical and analytical framework, this study aimed to explore EFL teachers’ beliefs about second language (L2) teaching, how these beliefs are reflected in practice, and the interrelations among beliefs, practices, and both immediate and broader contexts. A qualitative case study design was employed in line with these purposes, drawing on semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and post-observation interviews conducted with three EFL teachers in the Turkish educational context. Data analysis reveals that teachers have interconnected beliefs involving curricular objectives, teaching methodology, feedback cycle, translanguaging, and instructional materials. Mostly, these beliefs shape teachers’ instructional practices and classroom contexts, while the dynamic interplay between them leads to adaptations and co-adaptations in each complex system. The findings reveal the intricate connections between EFL teachers’ beliefs, instructional practices, and contextual factors. Furthermore, they underscore the need to align teacher education programmes with classroom realities, provide targeted professional development to address evolving challenges and advocate for educational policies that prioritise well-structured course books and sufficient weekly class hours to ensure the successful implementation of the curriculum.