Affective Factors and Instructional Practices in Mathematics Among Elementary School Teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to explore the relationships between mathematical beliefs, mathematical attitudes, mathematics anxiety and instructional practices in mathematics of the elementary school teachers in Guiuan districts. This study included 143 elementary school teachers handling mathematics classes. The Pearson-Product Moment Coefficient was the statistical tool used to examine the relationships between variables. Results indicated a statistically significant positive relationship between mathematical beliefs and instructional practices in mathematics, significant positive relationship between mathematical attitudes and instructional practices in mathematics, and significant negative relationship between mathematics anxiety and instructional practices in mathematics. The teachers-respondents hold a constructivist belief about mathematics, have a positive attitude towards mathematics, experience neutral level of mathematics anxiety, and utilizes student-centered instructional practices in mathematics. Their instructional practices in mathematics is significantly affected by their mathematical beliefs, mathematical attitudes and mathematics anxiety. This study suggests that in curriculum implementation, affective factors like beliefs, attitudes, and anxiety must be given importance just like content knowledge. This study further suggests that teacher educators should strive to minimize mathematics anxiety among prospective teachers more than just teaching mathematical pedagogies and content knowledge as this will eventually lead to the development of effective student-centered instructional practices in mathematics.