<![CDATA[Open-ended instructional methods have been widely introduced to enhance students’ higher-order thinking and communicative skills; however, their implementation in English language teaching in Indonesian upper secondary schools remains underexplored, especially from teachers’ perspectives. This study aims to examine EFL teachers’ perceptions and experiences toward the use of open-ended methods in English instruction. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed, involving 23 EFL teachers from public and private upper secondary schools in Eastern Jakarta, Indonesia. Quantitative data were collected using a Likert-scale questionnaire and analysed through descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were obtained from teachers’ narrative reflections and analysed using thematic analysis to explain the quantitative findings. The results revealed that EFL teachers held positive perceptions of open-ended methods, recognizing their effectiveness in enhancing students’ critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving skills, and learning motivation. However, teachers reported moderate confidence in implementation and highlighted challenges such as students’ limited language proficiency and difficulty responding to complex questions. Additionally, a strong need for professional development was identified. The study recommends providing sustained professional development, appropriate scaffolding strategies, and institutional support to optimize learning outcomes and facilitate effective integration of open-ended methods in upper secondary EFL classrooms.]]>
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