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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for increased effort more than 8^th grade teachers, while 8^th grade teachers reported that
they praised their pupils for individual improvement of results more than 5^th grade
teachers. 5^th grade teachers adopting result-based praise were likely to do so based on
both relative and absolute comparison, while 8^th grade teachers seemed to praise their
pupils in a more integrated way.

There were differences between the perceptions of teachers’ and pupils’ regarding
praise. It may be that pupils misunderstand teachers’ intention in the classroom. Pupils
perceived that their teachers praised them based on comparisons with others, despite
preferring being praised for individual improvement. 5^th graders perceived that their
teachers praised them when they made more effort than others. 8^th graders perceived
that getting better results than others pleased their teachers. Teachers of both age
groups reported focusing on praising pupils for enhancement of effort. Teachers
believed that pupils who tried hard to learn mathematics could succeed, but those who
lacked effort would fail. However, as many 5^th graders perceiving their mathematics
performance as failing attributed their results to lack of ability as those attributing it to
lack of effort.

Teachers and pupils shared similar perceptions of classroom ethos, for instance low
levels of friction in classes. Pupils satisfaction and perceived cohesiveness in a class
were correlated. Data from 5^th grade teachers supported that; in addition, they perceived
that improving cohesiveness in the class led to a reduction of difficulties, and vice versa.
Teachers of both age groups perceived that improvement of satisfaction was related to
the reduction of difficulties. However, this relationship was not found in pupils’
responses.

Pupils’ general self-concept, mathematics self-concept, perceived mathematics
performance, satisfaction in class, perception of cohesiveness in class, perceived
frequency of being given teacher praise and their appreciation Ofteacher praise, overall,
had a positive effect on their perceived frequency of deployment of teaching methods
and their perceptions of affective attitudes towards mathematics learning promoted by
different teaching methods. Conversely, perceived difficulty, overall, led to negative
effects. Perceived friction and competitiveness in a class were less likely to affect pupils’
affective attitudes towards mathematics learning promoted by different teaching

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