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methods∣l5th graders with higher perceived mathematics performance and perceiving
higher competitiveness perceived a low frequency of receiving individual help.
Satisfaction, perceived cohesiveness, perceived frequency of teacher praise and
appreciation of teacher praise affected pupil perceptions of the effects of and
deployment of different teaching methods more strongly than other aspects at both
grades.
Pupils’ perceptions of affective attitudes towards mathematics learning promoted by
different teaching methods were more strongly affected by their perceptions of self,
classroom ethos and teacher praise than the perceived frequency of deployment of the
teaching methods. These effects seemed stronger at 5th than 8th grade. For 5th graders,
Using a computer was the teaching method, which was least affected; followed by
individualised teaching methods. For 8th graders, Reading a textbook, Teacher
explanation and individualised teaching methods were most affected.
Pupils’ attribution styles affected the frequency with which they perceived different
teaching methods were deployed and their perceptions of the extent to which their
affective attitudes were promoted by these teaching methods. In short, pupils’ attribution
of success to effort, support at school and home, which was the most prevailing
attribution style, was positively related to their preference for Teacher explanation and
Reading a textbook at both grades and Whole-class discussion and Group discussion at
5th grade. Pupils attributing their success to support from the teacher disliked individual
work. In contrast, pupils attributing their success to ability and task easiness favoured
Individual work, and disliked Teacher explanation and Reading a textbook. 5th graders
attributing success to task easiness favoured Practical work and Individual work and
help, although they perceived less frequent deployment of these teaching methods than
those who had other attribution styles. Those attributing success to luck perceived less
frequent deployment of all of the teaching methods and less positive affective attitudes
promoted by them than those who had other attribution styles. In ∞ntrast, pupils’
attribution Offailure to luck did not cause negative effects compared with other attribution
styles. Overall, pupils’ attribution style in relation to failure did not have such strong
effects as their attribution style for success on their perceptions of teaching methods.
However, pupils attributing failure to lack of teacher support did not value the effects of
Teacher explanation on promoting positive affective attitudes.
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