Mathematics Anxiety

SME 6044

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION

SESSION 2011/2012 SEMESTER II

ISSUE: MATHEMATICS ANXIETY

PROF DR MARZITA BINTI PUTEH

GROUP 1

CHUNG WAI CHEONG M20102001089 TAW MEI YOKE M20111000335

TEH GUAN LEONG M20112001445 WONG WAI LUN M20112001446

WONG WANG YUEN M20111000734

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION MATHEMATICS ANXIETY

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DEFINITION OF MATHEMATICS ANXIETY

Webster’s New Word Dictionary explains anxiety as worry or uneasiness about what

may happen. Freud (1924) defined anxiety as “something felt,” a specific unpleasant

emotional state or condition that included feeling of apprehension, tension, worry and

physiological arousal, and equated with fear with objective anxiety, which he considered to

be an emotional in its intensity to a real danger in the external world.

Tobias & Weissbrod (1980) defined mathematics anxiety as “the panic, helplessness,

paralysis and mental disorganization that arises among some people when they are required

to solve a mathematical problem. Meanwhile, Ashcraft & Faust (1994) also defined

mathematics anxiety as feelings of tension, apprehension, or even dread that interferes with

the ordinary manipulation of number and the solving of mathematical problems. Like stage

fright, mathematics anxiety can be disabling condition, causing humiliation, resentment, and

even panic. Mathematics anxiety can cause one to forget and lose one’s self confidence

(Tobias, S., 1993).

UNDERSTANDING MATH ANXIETY

There appear to be three major domains which are involved with the development of

mathematics anxiety. There is naturally some overlap between and among them and their

boundaries are not well defined. In order to facilitate the development of this model of

mathematics anxiety, the domains will be treated as though they are distinct and well defined.

Associated with each domain is a continuum on which it is assumed that any student

at any particular time may be found. The extremes of the continua are given and discussed

below. The colour codes associate each continuum with its appropriate domain.


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The Social / Motivational Domain include those forces that act upon a person through

the agencies of family, friends, and society as a whole. The continuum associated with this

domain is Behaviour because although choices are influenced by others, they are ultimately

made by the individual. The Behaviour Continuum has Pursuit and Avoidance as its

opposites. These behaviours are logical consequences of the value place on mathematics,

which is influenced by the attitudes of significant others and by society in general.

The Intellectual / Educational Domain are comprised of those influences that are

cognitive in nature. Specifically, they include but are not limited to, the knowledge and skills

an individual has and or is expected to acquire and his or her perception of success or failure

in them. Although others may “grade” an individual’s performance in this domain, people

form their own evaluations of their performance in this area. The continuum associated with

this domain is Achievement, where individual perception is paramount. Success and Failure

are the extremes of the Achievement Continuum, and are the subjective evaluations regarding

one’s acquisition or use of mathematics skill and concepts.

The Psychological / Emotional Domain are formed by the faculties that are affective

in nature. It is largely comprised of the individual’s emotional history, reactions to stimuli

and arousal states. Hence, the continuum associated with this domain is Feelings. At either

end of the Feelings Continuum lie Anxiety and Confidence, although it could be argued that

enjoyment in even further removed from anxiety that confidence. The assumption is that most

students would find it puzzling to think of mathematics as enjoyable. Confidence can be

equated with comfortableness, rather than pleasure.


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Research indicates that the more confidence a person has in mathematics, the more

likely he or she is to be successful in such tasks (Betz, 1977, p22) and the more confidence

the individual has toward learning and using mathematics, the more likely he or she is to

pursue its study.

Anxiety reactions to mathematical situations may contribute to failure in mathematics

(Tobias & Weissbrod, 1980, p63). In fact, a person who has high mathematics anxiety may

actually be unable to perform well on test, and may be unable to learn in a mathematics

classroom. Mathematics anxiety also directly contributes to avoiding mathematics (Tobias &

Weissbrod, 1980, p63).

THE MATH ANXIETY PROCESS

Unpleasant encounters with math in formative years can be ruinous to subsequent

learning. Students who were made to feel bad about math become wary and prejudiced

against it. They mistrust their own abilities. New experiences in math, seen in light of the old,

are tarnished by their troubled past, which only accentuates and reinforces long-entrenched

negativity.


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Bad feelings persist. This impairs prospects for learning new material and generates

anxiety and self-doubt. They say negative things to themselves, such as “I’m stupid”, “I’ll

never be able to do math”, “I’ll fail” and “Why do I need to know math anyway?” Soon a

continuous flood of negative talk about math ensues; before long, anxiety, overwhelming

fears of failing or looking stupid and panic set in.

Physically, these people may experience nausea, perspire profusely, develop a

headache or tight muscles, or exhibit a number of other physical symptoms. Mentally, they

become confused or disorganized, make lots of careless errors, and forget formulas they

knew, can’t think clearly, or blank out entirely.

The end result: poor math performance, avoidance of math, “choking under pressure”,

and failure. All these negative results lead back to more negative thinking, and the cycle

continues.


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MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTION

1. Aptitude for mathematics is inborn.

2. To be good at mathematics you have to be good at calculating.

3. Maths requires logic, not creativity.

4. In mathematics, what’s important is getting the right answer.

5. Men are naturally better than women at mathematical thinking.

WHAT CAUSES MATHEMATICS ANXIETY

From the research conducted by (Marzita Puteh, 1998), there are several causes of

mathematics anxiety. The major cause of mathematics anxiety was related to teacher

personality and their style of teaching. Besides that, public examination and their effects also

lead to mathematics anxiety. Other than that, it is also related to affective domain or the self

factor such as student’s personality and his perception to mathematics. Feelings and worries

also lead to mathematics anxiety since students will have difficulties with their memory and

innate disability.

Moreover, students were also burden by parent’s expectation and standards where

they must excel in mathematics if they want to success. Furthermore, it was found that peer

group influences and the relevance of studying mathematics also caused mathematics anxiety.

TEACHER PERSONALITY AND THEIR STYLE OF TEACHING

Math anxiety is caused by the negative predispositions of mathematics teacher.

Teachers and parents that are afraid of mathematics pass that on to their students and children


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(Furner & Duffy, 2002). Teachers with mathematics anxiety transmit their anxiety to their

students (Kelly and Tomhave, 1985; Bulman and Young, 1982 and Lazarus, 1974).

If the teacher does not value mathematics, his students certainly cannot be expected

to value mathematics either. There are many things the mathematics teacher can do that will

provoke his students to dislike mathematics. The teacher may be perceived as not caring

about students because he is unwilling to give extra help to students who need it. The

students need to know that their teacher is able and willing to help them.

Most students fear of asking for help and they feel shy because they do not know how

to solve the mathematics problems. Besides that, the fear of being blamed by their teachers

seemed to be a recurring theme in the students’ response. This situation created a barrier

between the teacher and the student relationship.

According to (Jackson & Leffingwell, 1999), the teacher needs to be aware of his

words, sighs, and overall body language. This is because the teacher may become angry or

frustrated and use non-proper words when his class does not understand the problems.

Moreover, covering the textbook problem by problem can turn students off from

learning mathematics. Also, giving written work every day, insisting there is only one correct

way to complete a problem, and assigning mathematics problems as punishment for

misbehaviour can cause students to dislike mathematics (Furner & Duffy, 2002).

No one enjoys discipline. Making students do mathematics as a form of discipline

could very likely cause students to dislike mathematics.

PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS AND THEIR EFFECT

In Malaysia, the Education System is highly examination-oriented. Many students

perceive that getting good grades will indicate their achievements. There is a perception that


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getting an A for mathematics in public examination reflect that the person has better IQ.

Good achievement in Mathematics has also been the basic requirement for the student to

further their studies. In this way, students felt threatened by mathematics examination.

Morris (1981) stated that mathematics tends to lend itself to being taught with

procedures that unnecessarily build tension and pressure in some students. She further argue

that for example, in a timed test, many especially the anxious, tend to freeze up under time

pressure.

A study by Betz (1978) revealed that the level of mathematics anxiety reported was

related to scores on a standardized mathematics achievement test. In other words people with

high achievement scores tended to report low mathematics anxiety and vice versa. The

trainees here seemed to confirm that high anxiety about mathematics was predictably liked

with poor results in public examinations.

AFFECTIVE DOMAIN - THE SELF FACTOR, SUCH AS PERSONALITY,

PERCEPTION

From the affective perspective, Bush (1991) commented that mathematics anxiety

arises from a climate in which negative attitudes and anxiety are transmitted from adults to

children. McMillan (1976) found that teachers’ attitude and enthusiasm toward a subject had

greater impact on student attitudes than instructional variables.

Lazarus (1974) and Wilhelm and Brooks (1980) added that negative parental attitudes

may be transmitted to their children and that parents often reinforce their children’s

mathematics anxiety. It could be very difficult for students to like mathematics when their

parents did not do well in mathematics themselves, and thus do not understand it or do not

think it is important.


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Students could see their parents as having a job and doing well without a great love

for mathematics and think that they will be successful without an appreciation of

mathematics as well.

Students with low achievement in mathematics usually those with low self esteem

and slow learner, easily giving-up, dislike of being challenged, low confidence and self

blaming for poor mathematics performance.

FEELINGS, WORRIES, DIFFICULTIES (MEMORY, INNATE DISABILITY)

Burton, 1979 says that signs on people that have mathematics anxiety are like

sweating palms, queasy stomach, panic, fear, clenched fists, cold sweat, helplessness, tension,

distress, dry mouth, shame and inability to cope and many more just like other phobia.

Students confronted with a difficult mathematical task on which they are to be assessed may

feel nervous and show signs such as tremor in the limbs and sweating of hands.

A student may, for a variety of reasons, develop an emotional and intellectual block

towards the learning of mathematics in the course of his school years. Lazarus (1974)

describe that a student who has developed an emotional and intellectual block against

mathematics finds that making progress in mathematics and closely related fields is very

difficult. If student became over-anxious when he or she did not fully understand some part

of the mathematics lesson, they would make greater effort to comprehend. Such a student

actively turns away from mathematics and rapidly develops a fatalistic attitude about

mathematics, fully expecting to do badly. Therefore, constant failure in solving mathematical

problem hence triggers the dislike for the subject.


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PARENTAL EXPECTATIONS - THEIR ASPIRATIONS AND STANDARDS

The students think too much to meet the expectations and standards of their parents.

The pressure from family occurs especially if any of the family members do better in

mathematics. Students could see their parents as having a job and doing well without a great

love for mathematics and think that they will be successful without an appreciation of

mathematics as well.

PEER GROUP INFLUENCES

Peer network interactions might operate in a number of ways to develop and

encourage attitudes, values, and behaviours related to learning. Pattison (1994) argues that

social influence can be classified into three categories. Firstly, a social relationship may

determine the type of information a person is exposed to. Secondly, typical patterns of social

interaction may lead to social influence, i.e., when students develop a shared level of

mathematics anxiety to show affinity to their peer group. And thirdly, social influence may

occur when people perceive that their social position (e.g. as an active or not-active member

of the peer network) has implications for cognition and behaviour.

Students with low performance (slow learner) try to move the same phase as those

with higher achievements in mathematics, and if they failed to do so, they give up. Students

with low performance’s belief that they will not do better, they then influence friends in their

circle.


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RELEVANCE - THE USAGE OF MATHEMATICS IN EVERYDAY LIFE

The most prominent issue raised by the trainees was that their teachers were using old

fashioned way of teaching (Puteh, 2002). The way of the subject was being taught led the

trainees to perceive the subject as having no links to everyday life. Thus the process creates a

dislike for the subject and an anxiety by itself.

They cannot relate the theories they have learnt in mathematics lesson to the real life

situation.

REVIEW: IMPLICATION OF ANXIETY TOWARDS STUDENTS

THE MATHEMATIC ANXIETY PATTERN

Under ‘The Mathematical Anxiety Pattern’ by (Puteh, 2002) shown in Chart 2,

students through negative experiences will expect failure, and through this pattern each time

they avoid or unable to perform they will again confirm their expectation of failure. Hence,

by restructuring the attitude, this process can be avoided (Mitchell and Collin, 1991, p.45).

Contribution to the formation of negative attitudes towards mathematics anxiety (Puteh,

2002) are listed below; fear of asking for help, teachers blaming students for not

understanding, teacher ridiculing students. Teacher’s strictness and fierceness, use of threats

and force by teachers, teachers not showing interest in their students, teaching style which

emphasis the transfer of information and not attention to the learning of the individual.


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Chart 2: The Mathematic Anxiety Pattern

PRESSURE OF EXAMINATION AND ITS EFFECTS ON STUDENTS

Betz (1978) stated that at college level, the level of mathematics anxiety was related

to scores. When students having low mathematics anxiety, normally they achieved higher

scores, and vice versa.

PARENTAL AND PEER GROUP INFLUENCES TOWARDS MATHEMATICS

According to Poffeenberger and Norton (1959), parents affect on child’s attitude and

performance can be in 3 ways; Parental encouragement will have a positive impact towards

students’ mathematics interest thus relieving their anxieties towards that subject. Parent’s

own attitudes and trust in encouraging and motivating their child towards mathematics does

significantly improve their attitude towards the subject generally. Parental expectations of

child’s achievement may put a lot of pressure on them to do well in mathematics. High

expectations towards mathematics from parents will develop the students’ interest and

confidence in the subject. However, too high of an expectation will create anxiety and

avoidance toward the subject. Peer group can play an important role in either reinforcing or


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removing their negative attitude and behaviour towards mathematics. These two factors have

great impact on students’ performance and also math anxiety that should not be taken lightly.

Kenschaft (1991) reported that parent’s support or lack of support is an important in

students’ attitude and participation in mathematics instruction. Dossey (1992) considered

teachers important role in shaping attitudes towards mathematics. While Harris (1995),

concluded that peer affiliations become increasingly more influential on shaping attitudes

than parents and teachers.

MATH ANXIETY IN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Studies have documented the negative effects of mathematics anxiety on mathematics

performance and achievement. Students’ mathematics anxiety may impact on their ability to

learn Mathematics more effectively. According to Liebert and Morris (1967), they had

distinguished two components of test anxiety. Worry is the cognitive component of anxiety,

consisting of self-deprecatory thoughts about one’s performance. Emotionality is the affective

component of anxiety, including feelings of nervousness, tension, and unpleasant

physiological reactions to testing situations.

The purpose of this study is to examine the age and gender difference in mathematics

anxiety. In regards to gender differences, there were no differences in the structure of boys’

and girls’ responses to the Math Anxiety Questionnaires which indicates that they were

answering the items in similar ways. Boys and girls also did not differ in their reports of math

worry, which indicates that they were equally concerned about doing well in mathematics.

However girl reported experiencing more negative affective reactions to mathematics than

boys. These implicate that that as math courses get harder, girls will be more likely to stop

taking math when they have that option. The suggestion by researchers is that intervention


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programs to alleviate the affective and cognitive aspects of math anxiety must deal with both

affective and cognitive aspects. These programs should be implemented during the

elementary school years, before children’s anxiety about math becomes too strongly

established.

HOW NEGATIVE EXPECTANCIES AND ATTITUDES UNDERMAINE FEMALES’

MATH CONFIDENCE AND PERFORMANCE

Societies as a whole believe females are less mathematically capable than males. This

belief is communicated to parents and teachers, who pass it along to students. Girls come to

view their failures in mathematics as evidence that they are indeed inferior and to view their

successes as flukes. This belief reinforces the belief that females are not capable of doing

well in mathematics. Females stop taking advanced mathematics courses in high school or

college, believing them too difficult. In the end, the expectancies of their parents and teachers

are fulfilled and society was further “proof” of females’ inferior mathematical ability. Refer

Diagram 1 as Cycle of Low Expectancy on Female Students by Parents and Teachers

Diagram 1: Cycle of Low Expectancy on Female Students by Parents and Teachers


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The findings by researchers further found that the differences between males’ and

females’ performance is quite small. There is no significant difference between boys and girls

mathematical achievement in elementary school and few differences at any age (Feingold,

1988, NAEP, 1983; Shipman, Krantz & Silver, 1992). These differences are getting smaller

over time (Hyde & Linn, 1988).

In future, as differences decrease, parents and teachers will see more of that female

are capable of performing well in mathematics. This will lead to more parental and academic

support, further enhancing females’ ability. In this way, the cycle may be broken

THE EFFECTS OF MATHEMATICS ANXIETY ON MATRICULATION

STUDENTS AS RELATED TO MOTIVATION AND ACHIEVEMENT

Based on the review of literature by Effandi Zakaria & Norazah Mohd Nordin (2008),

the results of their study provide evidence that mathematical anxiety has an important effect

in mathematics education. When the mathematics anxiety is high, students’ achievement is

low, when the anxiety is low, students’ achievements is high. Therefore, teacher should be

thinking on how to reduce students’ anxieties by finding a better way to teach mathematics.

Implication on this, Woodard (2004) suggested techniques to reduce students’ anxiety

towards mathematics. Firstly, create an environment in which students do not feel threatened

and allowing them to relax. Secondly, teachers can use cooperative grouping to encourage

teamwork in problem solving. Thirdly, teachers must teach at a slower pace as to let the

students comprehend better of what the learning is all about. Last but not least, teachers can

provide extra tuition session to build up the students’ understanding towards learning

mathematics.


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LITERATURE REVIEW FINDINGS

Mathematics anxieties do exist and are potentially affecting the associated learning of

all students. The root can be affective and cognitive, with people’s belief influencing the way

they think about mathematics and subsequently affecting their learning. There are lots of

evidences showing us that the ability to do mathematics is strongly influenced by people’s

attitudes rather than any cognitive skills. Thus we need to further research how to prevent

such anxiety on students.

TEACHERS’ ANXIETY (TEACHING ANXIETY)

As every issues were pointed to teachers, we are here to claim a little more justice for

the teachers where even at the end, teachers still cannot avoid to be the party who should be

the most responsible for the entire anxiety issues in math, but at least, to be given a little bit

forgiveness.

Here we are looking into three main factors that arise in approaching the teachers’

anxiety, which more suitable, the teaching anxiety. Therefore, we categorize it into three

main categories, which are view from the personality, environment and intellectual.

PERSONALITY

Roseman and Smith believe that emotions are caused by the interpretations of events,

rather than events themselves. (Mei-Lin Chang, 2009) Emotional can be affected by any of

the following, it just the matter of how a person manage the emotion with tactful and not

involving third party, which are the students in school. Emotion regulation refers to “the


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processes by which we influence which emotions we have, when we have them, and how we

environment and express them”, said Gross (Mei-Lin Chang, 2009)

Mostly emotion was distracted by surrounding such as family matter, financial

difficulty, and physiological imbalance, which a person, without oneself awareness being

brought forward into the life, and then to the works in school. Lastly, this imbalance emotion

will be carry on into classes especially when facing students which we mostly know of their

active behaviour. This normally will end up with either punishment and/or low performance

of teaching and learning process.

The failure to monitoring classes will also affecting ones emotion and having the

feeling of did not wanted to get in to particular classes. From Nixon understanding,

Emotional valences can extend to other aspects of the communication environment. For

instance, negative experiences with emotion work can result in an overall negative emotional

valence (Scott, Margaret & Joseph, 2010).They are sometime give up on trying to manage the

class or only choose a few of the talent students to be concern more so that at least this

particular students will have a better chance in scoring the paper. This action will lead to the

misunderstanding on how the students think on the teacher by what the teacher may look on

them. Students actually are a very simple in sensation of someone’s reaction. What the

teacher done will let them having thought of that teacher did not likes them, and therefore as

to rebel that action, they tend to dislike the teacher, following by hating the subject that

teacher taught.

We all know that learning mathematics is an on-going process, where mathematics is

related in every single topic. Distributing mathematics into few topics is to let teaching to be

convenient. But now days, teachers have been given so much of works until themselves

having the difficulty in managing time. Mostly the classes will be taking over by temporary

teachers or new teacher to continue the lessons. When they return to the class, they will find


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they it is hard to follow back what have been planned and the interruption of new scheduling

will only make things getting worse.

Personal experiences are also the main reason on influencing teaching anxiety.

Normally this happened to those who are new in teaching field. Mostly, Pre-service teachers

learn majority about the pedagogy of teaching and learning, rather than to be tested the

understanding on mathematics concepts and how pedagogy took place in understanding those

concept ideas. Therefore, when they approaching the real teaching situation, they are merely

wanted students to score high in examination and increasing their own reputation in teaching

field. So they tend to teach in the form of memorising formulas and application. This was

because they still lack of experience and suitable creativity in creating interesting lessons

which fit to the students and the situation.

Furthermore, new and normally young teacher will be assigned to teach those who are

less talented students which usually, the class align at the back of the rank. The reason of this

kind of arrangement was because these classes normally need more attention and afford to

guide compare to the others which aligned at the front rank. This has cause the new teachers,

who are usually being blamed to be no experience and less professionals, facing the tough

challenges at the mean while they might also being assigned to the others new activities of

school rather than simply teaching in class.

ENVIRONMENT

The issues related to the environment, we are pointing towards the facilities and

school management abilities which are not in the hand of control by teachers; where we may

call it as the spontaneous event or dilemmas.


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Sometimes teachers have prepared well on thing that he or she is going to teach but

suddenly things does not going well as expected. It could be the events arise in the middle of

teaching such as announcement of gathering teachers of science and mathematics for the

meetings, or announcement of the clubs meeting that student’s representative will ask for the

permissions to give their announcement in meeting of few students in the class. These all are

quite interrupting the process of teaching.

Now talk about the facilities, accidents could happen most of the time without

expected. The faultiness of facilities such as computer, projectors, clashes schedule of

laboratory arrangement and so on. All of these accidents was not able to be predicted, and the

lesson might not going well even though teacher has planned and organize everything well.

Another issue that happened in most of the school in town area, which is one class,

hold large number of students and some even reaching in the number of fifty or more. The

class is too large until not every student will get the fully attention from the teacher. There are

research proving that smaller classes can shrink the achievement gap and lead to reduced

grade retention, fewer disciplinary actions, less dropping out, and more students taking

college entrance exams (Jeremy & Charles, 2003).

CULTURAL MISCONCEPTION

Issues relating with the cultural matter happened all around the world. The

misconceptions are usually deeply implanted in the basic understanding and affecting ones

perception, even in the mind of the teacher which also coming from the same background.


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“If interaction always has a purpose, it also has meaning for

those involved. At its broadest, the teacher-student

interaction is probably interpreted as having some form of

educational meaning (as opposed to other forms of meaning

that could exist between adults and young people).

However, when we dig down to specific individual

meanings for the interaction that takes place “in the school”

there can, once again, be a wide variety of meanings for

those involved. For the teacher, for example, these can

range from “education” being a vocation – their mission is

to influence and change lives for the better – to the idea that

education is “just a job”; something that is to be endured

because it pays the bills”

(Chris & Tony, n.d)

From what have quoted from Chris and Tony, it is the matter of what the teacher is

thinking about the teaching and that will be the matter of how he or her performs the teaching

process.

Another misconception is where, from the research of Sian Beilock, teachers who are

anxious about their own math abilities are translating some of that to their kids (Karen

Kaplan, 2010). The research are saying that the anxiety that pass through from the teacher to

the students may lead to a misunderstanding that male can do better mathematics than female.


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INTELLECTUAL

As mentioned before, teachers normally are being trained on the pedagogy of teaching

and learning rather than to understanding the concept itself. Therefore, we are sure that every

teacher knows how to perform the calculation and pass it in the same way the application to

the students without knowing the actual concept of the formulas and where or how it is

coming from.

When some of the high curiosity students expecting to learn more than simply the

application itself, teacher find that it is hard to analyse and elaborate the concept, and letting

students to be more easily relating the understanding they are performing, into the real world

of application. This is because mathematics does not come by itself without any reason. By

looking through how those mathematicians creating those formulas, we can see that most of

them are stranded into a real world situation, which inspire them to design and manipulate

suitable formula to be use by everyone else.

The intelligence in overcoming difference learning background also is a big

challenges to a teacher especially in local, there are three main different learning background

and each of them are conducting their own creativity so help students improving their

understanding. When all of them are gathered into one same teacher, the teacher will found

that one same question will lead to many difference applications which come to the same

answer. So it is depending on ones intellectual to judge the marking scheme. Any

inappropriate action will undermines confidence students’ confidence in performing the same

calculation in future.


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RECOMMENDATIONS

How can math anxiety prevent and reduce? Schools can help prevent math anxiety

from occurring in students because teachers play a critical role in helping to develop positive

attitudes toward math. According to Tobias (1987), one way for students to reduce math

anxiety is to recognize when panic starts, to identify the inactiveness in their analytic and

retrieval systems, and to clear up the static without ceasing to work on the problem.

“Mathitude Survey” is a practical idea for teachers and students to assess their attitudes

toward math at the beginning of a school. Hackworth (1992) suggested that discussing and

writing about math feelings will assist in reducing math anxiety.

Teachers have the responsible to help students to see the important of math. Pupils

should learn to value and see application for learning math inside and outside the classroom

since math surrounds us, everything in life is a problem (many involve math). This will able

to help students realize that it is not something from which they can escape, but a tool they

need to learn how to use and apply in real-life situations. It is important for students to

become confident in their ability to do math.

According to Spikell (1993), students learn best when they are active rather than

passive learners. Hence, teachers must employ best practices for teaching mathematics in

their classrooms by addressing different learning style. We should accept the truth that

everyone is capable of learning, but may learn in different ways. The theory of multiple

intelligences addresses the different learning styles which the lesson can be presented for

visual/spatial, logical/mathematics, musical, body/kinaesthetic, interpersonal and

intrapersonal and verbal/linguistic.


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Math need relevant to students’ everyday life. Thus, students today need for practical

math too. Students enjoy experimenting and engaging in exploring, conjecturing, and

thinking rather than, engaged only in rote learning of rules and procedures. So, the use of

manipulative will able to make learning math concrete. Some of the abstract ideas can be

model or represent by the pictures and symbols. This also provides a chance of hand-on

activity for students to enjoy their learning in math.

Students who collaborate can develop a synergy among themselves which supports

their learning, helping them to learn more, more quickly, and more lastingly. Another

practical idea for teacher is having the cooperative group work so that able to provide

students a chance to exchange ideas. Cooperative groups provide students a chance to

exchange ideas, to ask questions freely, to explain to one another, to clarify ideas in

meaningful ways and to express feelings about their learning (Furner & Berman, 2002).

These skills acquired at an early age will be greatly beneficial throughout their adult working

life.

Use the computer, scientific or graphing calculators, internet and all technology!

There are vast resources out there to help students learn math as well as conquer their math

anxiety. Many teachers and professors around the world have developed web-sites dedicated

to helping students succeed at all levels of math.

Young children enjoy jokes and cartoons. With all the tension and anxiety, math

humour is greatly needed. The cartoons may be used to introduce a concept or for class

discussion whereas the jokes are typical case of real life problems. Apart from that, some

games that are beneficial to learners and are enjoyed are cards playing, Life, Yahtzee,

Battleship and Tangrams.


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Schools really need to shift toward assessing students' full mathematical power by

giving students multiple opportunities to demonstrate their full mathematical understanding,

aligning assessment with curriculum and instruction, and regarding assessment as continual

and recursive (NCTM, 1995). Teachers need to employ alternative forms of assessment in

math classes, such as: observations, questioning, interviews, performance tasks, self-

assessments of students, work samples, portfolios, writing samples, paper and pencil tests,

and standardized tests. By carrying out the authentic assessment, students will be more likely

to be problem solvers for the real life situations. Teachers also need to emphasize more

communication in the classroom through discussion, problem solving, discourse, and writing.

Students are very crucible of math anxiety because the math exams represent a do-or-

die challenge that can inflame all one’s doubts and frustrations. Here are some techniques and

strategies that the teachers must teach to improve students’ test-taking experience, such as

note-taking skills, test-taking skills, relaxation techniques, tell the importance of homework

or studying, the way to read and use the textbook, address the positive “I” messages and also

guide students on visualization of success in math.

Students have the big indeed to learn the self-help techniques for combating math

anxiety. These techniques include learn stress management and relaxation techniques, combat

negative thinking, visualize yourself succeeding, do “easiest” problems first, start preparing

early before the examination, try to understand the “why” of math concepts rather than

memorizing, find a support group do math every day and study smart, utilize all your

resources and reward yourself for hard work!

As a conclusion, math anxiety happens in the classroom due to the lack of

consideration of different learning styles of students. Math must be looked upon in a positive

light to reduce math anxiety. Teachers must change their teaching approaches from

traditional teaching methods which often do not match students’ learning styles. Once young


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children see math as fun, they will enjoy it, and, the joy of mathematics could remain with

them throughout the rest of their lives. The teachers begin a cycle that will produce less math-

anxious students for generations come.

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