283
Teachers and pupils were asked to report to what extent teachers praised pupils in
mathematics classes using five-point rating scales. Pupils were also asked to express
the extent to which they felt happy with teachers’ praise. Four types of praise were
explored (performance vs. effort) x (absolute criteria vs. social comparison with others),
as the study aimed to explore perceptions of goal setting reflected in perceptions of
teachers’ praise. However, teachers might adopt other forms of praise. Pupils might also
perceive a wider range of praise or value other types of praise. These issues were not
explored in the study.
Pupils’ attribution of perceived mathematics performance was measured using a forced
choice question. Earlier research by Kashiwagi (1986) reported that Japanese students
attributed both success and failure to effort and luck. Japanese children may therefore
attribute perceived mathematics performance to several factors in parallel. If this is so,
exploring pupils’ attribution of their perceived mathematics performance using a forced
choice question may be over simplified. Pupils’ attribution of perceived mathematics
performance in future research could be explored through open questions or on a rating
scale to enable more in depth analysis. Teachers’ attributions of their pupils’
mathematics performance was explored using open questions. As the number of
participating teachers was relatively small, in depth analysis could not be ∞nducted.
Limitations in understanding of questions or context
The teaching methods examined in the questionnaire survey were selected according to
the recommendations of the Ministry of Education in Japan. The results of the current
research showed that some of the teaching methods examined were hardly ever
adopted in mathematics classes at the time of research. Thus, participants’ replies of the
extent to which these teaching methods promoted pupils’ affective attitudes were based
on expectations rather than their actual experiences. This is clearly a limitation. Further
research will be needed to examine whether participants maintain or change their
perceptions of teaching methods and their affects when the enactment of the
educational report of 2002 occurs which requires change.
Although attempts were made in the pilot study to ensure that terms were
understandable, pupils might not have been able to understand what each teaching
283