Relationship between Teacher Communication Behavior Perceived by Elementary School Students and Their Science Anxiety According to Gender

The purpose of this study was to confirm gender differences in students" perception of teacher communication behavior and their science anxiety levels, as well as to analyze how the relationship between students' perceived teacher communication behavior and science anxiety levels varies between male and female students. For this purpose, the study analyzed the relationship between students' perceived teacher communication behavior and science anxiety levels among 444 fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school students in a metropolitan city (218 male, 226 female). The results indicated that male students perceived that teachers asked more challenging and higher-order questions in science class and controlled their behavior, compared to female students. In addition, female students" science anxiety levels ware higher than those of male students. The study found that the teacher"s encouragement and praise, as well as understanding and friendly behaviors perceived by students, negatively predicted the science anxiety levels of both male and female students. The teacher"s controlling behavior, as perceived by students, positively predicted the science anxiety levels of male students but did not significantly predict the science anxiety levels of female students. An interpretation of these results was discussed, as well as their implications for science education and future research.