5th and 8th grade pupils’ and teachers’ perceptions of the relationships between teaching methods, classroom ethos, and positive affective attitudes towards learning mathematics in Japan

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security and sense of progress as promoted by Group discussion. However, the
frequency of deployment of Group discussion and pupils’ motivation were correlated.

Figure 4.5.30: Relationships between attitudes to mathematics learning as promoted by
Group discussion: perceptions of 8^th grade teachers

For 5^th graders, there were significant positive correlations between the perceived effects
on pupils’ four attitudinal aspects promoted by Group discussion and the frequency of
deployment of Group discussion and pupils’ enjoyment (see Figure 4.5.31 in appendix).
The pattern for 8^th graders was similar to 5^th graders although there were no significant
relationships with perceived deployment (see Figure 4.5.32 in appendix). For pupils of
both age groups and 5^th grade teachers, the perceived effects on the four attitudinal
aspects promoted by Group discussion were correlated. However, for 8^th grade teachers
this was not the case. This pattern mirrors that for Whole-class discussion. The way
discussion is perceived is clearly different for 8^th grade teachers to all pupils and 5^th
grade teachers.

Summary of 4.5

Overall, the findings in this section demonstrate that for pupils of both age groups, the
four attitudinal aspects promoted by individual teaching methods were more clearly
correlated, showing a coherence in their perceptions of the affects. Although for teachers
of both age groups, the four attitudinal aspects as promoted by some teaching methods
were correlated, they did not perceive such close relationships as their pupils. Teachers

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