Have you ever wondered why we speak of students experiencing maths anxiety but we don’t speak of students feeling anxious about language? Maths anxiety is something that not only students experience, but also a lot of adults as well. It is often rooted in past experiences that involves maths and how the person was introduced, guided and supported during their studies.
Why is it that many people in life talk about being anxious when it comes to maths? Understanding the roots of maths anxiety can help educators address them and support students in engaging with maths feeling at ease and excited.
‘The difference between successful and unsuccessful students is less about the content they learn and more about their mindset.’ – Joe Boaler
Past experiences
Maths anxiety, the feelings of nervousness, worry and tension that can arise when engaging with maths, can negatively affect both mathematical performance and learning more broadly. These feelings are often rooted in negative past experiences or messages that students have received about their mathematical ability.
Statements such as “Girls just aren’t as good at maths as boys,” “You’re just not a maths person,” “This problem is easy. Why can’t you do it?” or “Just memorise the steps and you’ll be fine” can cause students to question their own abilities and develop negative beliefs about themselves as mathematicians.
Over time, these messages can erode confidence, reduce engagement and create a cycle in which students become increasingly anxious about maths and less willing to take risks, make mistakes and persevere. Ultimately, this can have a significant impact on their mathematical learning and wider academic performance.
Traditional teaching methods
When teaching students maths in a more traditional manner, being asked to memorize steps and facts and engage in regular testing, can exacerbate anxiety. This is especially true for students who may benefit from a more visual, hands-on, creative, inquiry-based approach.
Cultural factors
There are many ways people can support certain societal beliefs and stereotypes about maths, which can play a major role in how people feel about maths. Even the way parents experienced maths can transfer their own anxiety to their children and can influence their children’s feelings when it comes to maths.
Maths anxiety detectors
Being aware for what signs to look out for to detect maths anxiety, can help to intervene early. Here are some symptoms that students might experience/exhibit:
Physical
– fast heartbeat, tight chest, sweating
Cognitive
– mental blocks, challenges to stay focused or experiencing negative thoughts in regards to their maths abilities
Behavioral
– trying to avoid maths altogether, which then leads to gaps which further fuels anxiety
So, what can educators do when they see that their students experience maths anxiety?
Growth mindset
We want to create learning environments in which students feel safe to make mistakes, try out ideas, ask questions and experience. Telling students that mistakes help us learn is a powerful tool. By promoting the growth mindset, students will understand that we can all grow further with practice and that maths is not a talent that we are born with or that we lack.
Collaborative learning
Setting structures in place for students to work together shows students that we can support and learn from one another and lessen the feeling of isolation that is often connected to maths anxiety. Number talks are a wonderful way to engage students in conversations about maths. Students share their thinking on how they solved a maths challenge and can learn from one another.
The power of teaching strategies
When planning for maths learning, it is recommended to think of various approaches to learning mathematics. Using manipulatives, visuals, and real-world applications can accommodate different learning styles.
Regular assessments
By using frequent formative assessments, teachers understand where students are in their understanding. Exit tickets at the end of the lesson, observing students when solving maths challenges and listening to their thinking, and watching students play a maths games can all help identify areas of struggle without asking students to engage in typical high-stakes testing.
Maths anxiety has significant implications for all learners. Once we understand its roots and symptoms, educators can design learning environments that make student feel safe and promote a love for maths. Fostering a growth mindset, showing students that mistakes help us learn, and being supportive overall are all ways to ensure that students become competent in maths and confident in their abilities. Let’s work together to empower learners to embrace mathematics as a fun, engaging and creative subject that is deeply connected to real-life experiences.
