Maths anxiety: practical tips for supporting students
19 April 2024
Amy Dai, Maths Subject Advisor
Maths anxiety has become a common phrase nowadays, with many teachers aware of the problems it can cause in the classroom. A recent National Numeracy survey found that 35% of adults agree with the statement: “doing maths makes me feel anxious”. Maths anxiety can manifest early, but with increased awareness and support, more and more tools are available to help young people overcome it.
The impact of maths anxiety
The Maths Anxiety Trust defines maths anxiety as:
“A negative emotional reaction to mathematics, leading to varying degrees of helplessness, panic and mental disorganisation that arise among some people when faced with a mathematical problem.”
Anxiety can be mild or severe, and often shows itself in emotions such as worry or fear. Feelings of anxiety are normal; everyone will experience them at some point. However, it can become an issue when these feelings consistently get in the way of carrying out everyday activities. In the case of maths anxiety in schools, this can occur when learners are feeling anxiety regularly throughout lessons or under exam conditions.
Maths anxiety can have significant impacts on learners and their future education choices. Currently, 52% of adults surveyed said that they stopped studying maths at school as soon as they were able to, but 66% of them agreed that you don’t realise how important maths skills are until you’re older and are using these skills to navigate daily life. As educators, we should ensure that maths anxiety doesn’t hold learners back from their further studies.
Signs of maths anxiety
The following symptoms of maths anxiety have been collated by National Numeracy. Look out for signs of these in your classroom. Students experiencing these sorts of symptoms may not have the vocabulary to express themselves properly, so it can appear as negative behaviours such as avoiding work or acting out.
- Feeling panicked or stressed
- Feeling flustered or struggling to concentrate on a calculation
- Increased heart rate
- Sweating and nausea
- Avoiding situations which involve maths.
Some recent studies about maths anxiety, such as this one by Cambridge University, found that girls report higher levels of maths anxiety than boys.
It’s also important to keep in mind that although maths anxiety can make it more difficult for students to do maths, it doesn’t always line up with lower attainment. Another study found that 77% of students with maths anxiety were normal to high achievers in this subject.
Classroom strategies
As a classroom teacher, you’re in an excellent position to look out for burgeoning signs of maths anxiety. By spotting these students early, you can start supporting them across the curriculum. It’s also useful for teachers to communicate clearly about any concerns – a student’s chemistry teacher might notice signs first and can ask the student’s maths teacher to be on the lookout. Another benefit of this type of communication is sharing different support strategies.
Another area to focus on is creating a supportive classroom environment for students. Maths anxiety can be seen as a subset of negative attitudes towards maths, so cultivating a positive, engaging attitude in the classroom can help to mitigate the development of maths anxiety. Here are some ideas of how to do that:
- Avoid “cold calling” on students. Let learners have enough time to think through their answers and encourage them to volunteer to share their ideas.
- Praise student participation and hard work – this can help to develop more of a ‘growth mindset’.
- Think carefully about how new concepts are introduced. Take time to provide students with starting vocabulary definitions so that they can start from a solid foundation.
- Studies have shown that maths anxiety impacts student mental load capacity. This means that they find it harder to hold multiple pieces of information in their head at once. Students can find it harder to recognise that different approaches are equivalent – take time to listen to, and correct, their approach rather than enforce your specific method.
Supporting individual learners
It’s important to remember that maths anxiety is not a rational thought process. It can be difficult for students to verbalise and overcome it. For many, a coping mechanism will be to avoid doing maths altogether. Dealing with maths anxiety in the classroom can be frustrating for both the teacher and the student. Here are some tips for supporting learners:
- Listen to them! It can be really reassuring to the student to have their teacher recognise the stress and anxiety that maths can cause. Make sure to emphasise that this feeling won’t last forever – with time and practice maths anxiety can be manageable.
- Set up activities so that questions can be completed in pairs. For many learners, trying to put pen to paper for calculations is the sticking point. Collaborative working can feel lower stakes for students and allow them to practice verbalising their maths in a less stressful environment.
- Provide learners with plenty of opportunities to build confidence. Break down concepts and topics into smaller chunks, which can help students to have small wins along the journey. It also can provide a procedural step-by-step guide through more complex questions. Websites such as Variation Theory can be useful for this.
Stay connected
Share your thoughts in the comments below. If you have any questions, you can email us at maths@ocr.org.uk, call us on 01223 553998 or message us on X (formerly Twitter) @OCR_Maths. You can also sign up for monthly email updates to receive the latest maths news, updates and resources.
About the author
Amy joined OCR in 2023 after teaching for five years in both state and independent schools. She provides support across all the OCR Maths qualifications, but with a focus on GCSE, A Level Maths and Further Maths. She graduated from the University of York with a degree in Mathematics and Economics before gaining a PGCE in Secondary Mathematics and an MA in Education.
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