Do reflective practices matter? Examining differences in instructional preferences among EFL pre-service teachers

Reflective teaching plays an important role in shaping instructional preference among pre-service English as a foreign language teachers, yet evidence in teacher education remains limited. This study examined whether different levels of reflective teaching were associated with differences in instructional preference and how these reflective practices were translated into classroom decision-making. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, quantitative data were collected from 103 pre-service teachers, followed by semi-structured interviews with two participants representing contrasting reflective profiles. Statistical comparison and thematic analysis were used to integrate numerical trends with contextual explanations. The findings revealed that higher reflective teaching levels were associated with stronger constructivist instructional preference, greater responsiveness to learner needs, and more equitable classroom participation practices. Qualitative evidence further showed that consistent peer feedback, learner-emotion monitoring, and dialogic teaching supported more student-centered instructional choices. Overall, the study highlights reflective teaching as a key developmental competency in teacher education and underscores the importance of embedding structured reflective cycles into micro-teaching and practicum supervision.