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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solving of mathematical problems in a wide range and variety of ordinary life and
academic situations’. Mathematics anxiety is a widely acknowledged phenomenon and
may lead to mathematics avoidance and math-phobia, which is sometimes passed on to
the next generation through parents and teachers (Buxton.1981; Lazarus, 1974;
Bulmahn et al, 1982; Kelly et al., 1985; Larson, 1983). Bibby (1999) reported that many
primary teachers maintained their negative affective attitudes towards mathematics such
as lack of confidence, formed through their experiences in mathematics classes in their
younger days, although they might have their confidence restored through the
opportunities. The Cockcroft report (1983) in the UK, noted that an individual’s
arithmetical confidence was not connected with actual competence as indicated by
educational qualifications or occupation as did Bibby’s (1999) report. This suggests that
emotional responses are not learned in relation to mathematics performance and are
probably related to interactions with teachers and other pupils. Several distinctive
dimensions have also been found in children’s mathematics anxiety. Ho et al. (2000)
found distinct cognitive and affective aspects of mathematics anxiety among 6^th graders,
across countries which had different cultural backgrounds. Suinn et al. (1989)
established the Mathematics Rating Scale for Elementary School Students (MARS-E)
and found that 4^th-to 6^th graders appeared to have two factors of mathematics anxiety:
test anxiety and mathematics performance evaluation anxiety.

Some research has found mathematics anxiety among Japanese students as well. Fujii
(1994) reported that university students’ mathematics anxiety was influenced by their
experience of mathematics learning in their earlier days. Students’ earlier experience of
difficulty in mathematics learning and dislike of mathematics was positively correlated
with mathematics anxiety, while their commitment and time spent on mathematics
learning and familiarity with numbers and shapes in elementary school days were
negatively correlated with mathematics anxiety.

The Ministry of Education in Japan (1999) believes that pupils’ anxiety arises from their
experiences of task difficulties and their relationships with the teacher and peers. This is
supported by recent research. Newstead (1998) found that children might experience
anxiety related to the social or public aspects of doing mathematics, and teaching style
might affect these. Pupils learning in classrooms where teacher demonstration and
individual practice was the norm disliked mathematics significantly more, and felt more

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