{"id":32483,"date":"2025-05-20T10:25:34","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T00:25:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.educationperfect.com\/?post_type=article&p=32483"},"modified":"2025-05-27T15:35:09","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T05:35:09","slug":"addressing-maths-anxiety","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.educationperfect.com\/article\/addressing-maths-anxiety\/","title":{"rendered":"Addressing Maths Anxiety"},"content":{"rendered":"

Maths can be tough to make engaging. While subjects like English, History, and Geography can inspire the imagination and be easily translated into real-world examples and projects, you can often struggle to achieve the same with maths.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, by understanding the underlying reasons why students disengage, you can create and implement strategies to help them connect with and become engaged in maths.<\/span><\/p>\n

Understanding the Reasons for Disconnect<\/b><\/h2>\n

While it’s tempting to simply say ‘maths is hard’, there are numerous factors that contribute to the disconnect.<\/span><\/p>\n

These are the most prominent reasons:<\/span><\/p>\n

Maths Anxiety<\/b><\/h5>\n

Maths Anxiety<\/b> affects a significant number of students and can lead to a complete shutdown during lessons.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reasons for maths anxiety include:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Parental pressure:<\/b> Students don’t want to disappoint their parents, leading to a continual cycle of stress.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Parents have maths anxiety:<\/b> Parents who tell their children that ‘they hated maths’ or ‘they never understood it’ can drastically shift their children’s perspectives on the subject.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Your pressure:<\/b> Some of you may overreach in your desire for a student to succeed.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Societal pressure:<\/b> If students believe that in order to have a fulfilling, secure future, they need to be good at maths, they can begin to dread performing poorly.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    Barriers to Engagement<\/b><\/h5>\n

    There are two types of barriers for student engagement in maths: external and internal.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Some examples of each are:<\/span><\/p>\n

    External<\/b><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Limited access to resources:<\/b> A lack of appropriate materials or tools can make it difficult for students to effectively engage with maths concepts.<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. Inadequate parental support:<\/b> Without encouragement or help at home, students might struggle to find motivation or understand maths tasks.<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. Overcrowded classrooms:<\/b> Large class sizes can result in less individual attention, making it challenging for students to stay engaged.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Internal<\/b><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Lack of confidence:<\/b> Students who doubt their abilities may hesitate to participate or invest effort in learning maths.<\/span><\/li>\n
      2. Negative self-perception:<\/b> Believing that they are “just not good at maths” can deter students from engaging in the subject matter.<\/span><\/li>\n
      3. Difficulty in understanding concepts:<\/b> Struggling to grasp foundational ideas can lead to frustration and eventual disengagement from maths lessons.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        Grade Focused vs Enjoying the Learning Journey<\/b><\/h5>\n

        When students are only dedicated to getting the highest scores on their assessments, it doesn’t allow for the enjoyment of discovery.<\/span><\/p>\n

        In practice, it looks something like this:<\/span><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Superficial understanding of concepts:<\/b> The emphasis is on rote memorisation rather than deep understanding and comprehension.<\/span><\/li>\n
        2. Task-oriented:<\/b> Students aim to complete work and move on, instead of practising to gain mastery.<\/span><\/li>\n
        3. Fixed mindset development:<\/b> Students focus on proving their abilities through grades rather than embracing challenges as opportunities for growth.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Strategies for Engagement<\/b><\/h2>\n

          Addressing disconnect involves focusing on one goal: making maths meaningful. Here are a few key strategies to deliver that meaning to students:<\/span><\/p>\n

          Differentiated Learning Approaches<\/b><\/h5>\n

          Differentiated learning<\/span><\/a> involves tailoring your teaching methods to accommodate different learning styles and abilities. This approach ensures that all students can engage with the material at their own pace and level.<\/span><\/p>\n