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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8^th graders with higher general self-concept perceived more positive affective attitudes
promoted by almost all teaching methods than 8^th graders with lower general self-
concept, the exceptions were Practical work and Using a computer. In contrast, 8^th
graders’ mathematics self-concept was related to positive affect promoted by Reading a
textbook, Teacher explanation and Individual work.

8^th graders with lower mathematics self-concept perceived a higher sense of security
and sense of progress promoted by Using a computer. They also perceived less
frequent deployment of this teaching method. 8^th graders’ perceived mathematics
performance also influenced affective attitudes promoted by certain teaching methods, in
particular Teacher explanation, Individual work and Individual help. 8^th graders with
higher perceived mathematics performance perceived that Practical work and Using a
computer could promote their enjoyment and Whole-class discussion could promote
their enjoyment and sense of security.

8^th graders with higher general self-concepts perceived more frequent deployment of all
the teaching methods except for Practical work and Group discussion; 8^th graders with
higher mathematics self-concept and higher perceived mathematics performance
perceived more frequent deployment of Using a computer, Teacher explanation,
Individual work and Individual help but not other teaching methods. Teacher explanation,
Individual work and Individual help were, as presented in Chapter 4, deployed very
frequently in mathematics classes at 8^th grade. 8^th graders with lower mathematics self-
concept perceiving themselves poor at mathematics perceived less time spent on all
teaching methods and less positive effects of these methods on their attitudes.

Teachers reported that they only “sometimes” attempted to enhance pupils’ general self-
concept and mathematics self-concept. Those giving positive responses were likely to
do so for both categories. The extent of 5^th grade teachers’ attempts to enhance their
pupils’ general self-concept influenced their thinking about Whole-class discussion and
Individual help and how these might promote positive affect through pupil-pupil
interaction and teacher-pupil interaction. In contrast, the extent to which 5^th grade
teachers’ reported attempting to enhance their pupils’ mathematics self-concept affected
their perceptions of teaching methods relating to individual pupils’ cognition such as
Individual work and Teacher explanation. 8^th grade teachers’ perceptions of their pupils’

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