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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Many factors predicted the mathematics self-concept of 5th graders perceiving their
mathematics learning as successful. This was also the case for 8th graders, irrespective
of their mathematics performance. On the other hand, the number of factors predicting
5th graders perceiving themselves as failing was fewer and less coherent. Satisfaction
was the strongest factor affecting pupils’ mathematics self-concept at both grades,
irrespective of perceived mathematics performance. General self-concept predicted
pupils’ mathematics self-concept positively, except in the case of 5th graders perceiving
their mathematics learning as failing.

The extent to which pupils perceived that Individual work could promote positive
affective attitudes predicted mathematics self-concept positively. For 5th graders
perceiving their mathematics learning as successful
Individual help was seen as
promoting their motivation. However, for 8,h graders perceiving their mathematics
learning as failing, the extent to which they perceived
Individual help as promoting sense
of progress predicted their self-concept negatively. For 8th graders perceiving their
mathematics learning as successful, the extent to which
Practical work was perceived to
promote enjoyment predicted mathematics self-concept positively. For 8th graders
perceiving their mathematics learning as failing, perceptions of the extent to which
Teacher explanation promoted motivation affected mathematics self-concept positively.

Perceived frequency of deployment of Teacher explanation and Whole-class discussion
predicted self-concept positively, while perceived frequency of deployment of Individual
help
predicted it negatively for 5th graders perceiving their mathematics learning as
successful. Perceived frequency of deployment of
Reading a textbook positively
predicted mathematics self-concept of 5th graders perceiving their mathematics learning
as failing. Pupils’ perceived frequency of deployment of any teaching method did not
predict mathematics self-concept for 8th graders.

Attributing success in mathematics learning to ability predicted positively and attributing
it to luck negatively the mathematics self-concept of pupils perceiving their mathematics
learning as successful at both grades. Attributing it to teacher support predicted 5th
graders’ mathematics self-concept negatively, but not that of 8th graders. Attributing it to
task easiness predicted 8th graders’ mathematics self-concept, but not 5th graders’.

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