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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Table 5.1 shows that teachers of both age groups believed that encouraging pupils’
involvement in mathematics learning and promoting their interest in it were the main
factors which contributed to promoting pupils’ enjoyment. 8^th graders also believed that
promoting their interest in mathematics learning could promote their enjoyment, but the
percentage of students indicating that promoting pupils’ interest in learning mathematics
promoted enjoyment was smaller than the percentage of teachers. Developing pupils’
mathematical thinking abilities was perceived as a factor contributing to promoting
pupils’ enjoyment more at 5^th grade than at 8^th grade, while promoting pupils’
understanding of the curriculum was perceived as a factor contributing to promoting
pupils’ enjoyment more at 8^th grade than at 5^th grade. 8^th graders in particular
emphasised that promoting understanding of the curriculum was important in enabling
them to enjoy learning. More than one in ten students indicated that peer interaction
promoted their enjoyment, while only one teacher mentioned this. Teachers seemed to
think that meeting pupils’ individual needs was more important than peer interaction in
making lessons enjoyable. Some 8^th graders indicated that interaction with the teacher
and concentration contributed to promoting their enjoyment. Few 8^th graders mentioned
factors such as competition, learning goals and good learning experiences. Participants
pointing out multiple factors were few.

5.2: Teachers’ and pupils’ perceptions of the factors contributing to pupils’
motivation to learn mathematics

Thirty-two 5^th grade teachers (67%) and thirty 8^th grade teachers (72%) responded to the
question regarding the factors contributing to promoting pupils’ motivation to learn
mathematics. Responses of 434 8^th graders on this question were analysed. Many of the
factors raised were common to teachers of both grades and overlapped with those
mentioned as providing the promotion of enjoyment. Firstly, eight out of thirty-two 5^th
grade teachers (25%) and seven out of thirty 8^th grade teachers (23%) mentioned that
encouraging pupils’ involvement in mathematics learning by securing pupils’ active and
autonomous learning (ap.5.2.1.5^th T) would promote pupils’ motivation to learn
mathematics. Teachers perceived that pupils’ active and autonomous learning could
prevent learners from feeling forced to learn, and in turn, promote pupils’ motivation to
learn mathematics (ap.5.2.2. 8^th T). Thirty 8^th graders (7%) answered that positive
involvement in activities would promote their motivation to learn mathematics. Some of
them mentioned that ease of involvement with the activity motivated pupils to learn

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