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

come to like taking part in discussion. Therefore, ɪ don’t think it a good idea to select a
single teaching method at elementary school level. Rather, they should experience
various teaching methods. Teachers should use various teaching methods, irrespective
of pupils’ attainments. I don’t think that high achievers should learn abstractly and low
achievers need tangible things. Both high and low achievers should learn mathematics
through various methods. Some high achievers cannot apply their knowledge in practical
situations. They memorise formulae and manipulate them. But they don’t know how such
formulae can be applied in practical situations, so they cannot understand the
usefulness of these formulae. You can find Individual differences among pupils with
similar mathematics attainments. Adopting various teaching methods allows for such
differences. I think we need to develop not only pupils’ mathematics attainments but also
their personality. For instance, they can learn how to listen to others and how to raise
their views in mathematics classes. So, using discussion in mathematics classes is very
important. But some pupils prefer learning mathematics individually. Providing the
opportunities to learn mathematics individually is important for them. So it is important to
use various methods.

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