the use of textbooks : a mandate or an option- perceptions of efl teachers in m'sila secondary schools
Textbooks are undeniable teaching resources that reflect pre-determined educational objectives based on learners' needs. They are the most popular primary teaching instruments that offer considerable amounts of content arrangement and curriculum aims outlined gradually in a structured framework. Nevertheless, it is recognized that there is no perfect textbook; therefore, teachers are asked to adapt and select what fits their teaching styles and learners’ needs. As it stands, EFL secondary school textbooks of all three levels were subject to an intensive evaluation by several researchers to delineate their advantages and drawbacks whereas few research has been conducted on the actual use of textbooks from the perspective of teachers as the main experts in the domain. Therefore, this paper investigated EFL secondary school teachers' perceptions towards the use of textbooks in real contexts, as well as the extent they depend on them. The study opted for a mixed methodology wherein the quantitative data were collected through an online survey questionnaire administered to EFL secondary school teachers of M’sila; and an online semi-structured group interview was conducted with (3) teachers to gather qualitative data. The results disclosed that teachers do not totally rely on the textbook; instead, they adapt, select, and support the deficiencies with supplementary instructional materials. (Published abstract)