Abstract. The study aimed to identify the method of instruction dominantly used in English 8 classes. The study also wanted to investigate the impact of the methods of instruction dominantly employed by the teachers and the student preferences on the latter’s academic performance. The researcher utilized the descriptive-correlational survey design. The respondents of the study were the 300 randomly selected Grade 8 students from 10 high schools of Santa Catalina Districts 1, 2, 3, and 4. The researcher used a standardized questionnaire and employed the weighted mean, percent, Multiple Linear Regression Analysis, and Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient in treating the data. The results revealed that the extent of teachers’ utilization of and the extent of preference for the five learning methods of instruction in their English class is “high.” The data also indicated that, among all methods of instruction, teacher-centered instruction demonstrated the strongest correlation with teachers' utilization and with students' preferences. The students’ academic performance also improved as teachers used more teacher-centered instruction and increased with a higher preference for teacher-centered instruction. These findings highlight the effectiveness of tailoring and employing classroom instructions and diverse methods in English language teaching that align with students' preferred methods of learning, to enhance their knowledge and academic achievement.

Keywords: Method of instruction; Learner preference; Academic performance; English language teaching; Teacher-centered instruction.