Available via license: CC BY-NC
Content may be subject to copyright.
Research on Math Anxiety of Elementary School
Teachers
Mengchong Chen
School of Social Science
University of California, Irvine, 92697, USA.
Corresponding author. Email:mengchoc@uci.edu
ABSTRACT
Mathematics anxiety refers to the negative emotional reactions such as anxiety, tension, uneasiness and fear, and even
physiological manifestations, such as sweating, rapid heartbeat and so on. Mathematics anxiety may lead mathematics
learners to avoid mathematics learning, resulting in the reduction of academic achievements. Not only students, but
also math teachers show the symptoms of math anxiety. Existing studies have proved that mathematics anxiety exists
in many groups of teachers. Therefore, this paper focuses on the causes and influencing factors of primary school
teachers' mathematics anxiety, analyzes the coping styles, and puts forward some suggestions for future research
direction.
Keywords: Mathematics Anxiety, Negative Experience, Mathematics Teaching, Teaching Methods
1. INTRODUCTION
In recent years, people pay more attention to their
own psychological state and more terms related to
psychology enter people's vision, which also improves
the awareness of mathematical anxiety. In fact, long
before that, perhaps when mathematics was born, the
anxiety accompanying it has existed. Many people
around the world are distressed by this, and China is no
exception. Since 1990, more in-depth research on
mathematics anxiety has been carried out in China.
However, in recent years, the domestic research on
mathematics anxiety has focused on exploring the
influencing factors of students' mathematics anxiety,
and the literature reviewand research on teachers’
mathematics anxiety are few. Among them, the existing
research mainly focuses on the anxiety of pre-service
mathematics teachers and technical school mathematics
teachers, and its content mainly includes the analysis of
the causes of anxiety [1, 2]. However, the prediction of
pre-service teachers' mathematics anxiety to elementary
school teachers' mathematics anxiety has not been
clearly tested, so it can not represent the primary school
mathematics teachers' group. Moreover, the categories
of anxiety and mathematics anxiety are inconsistent,
which can not accurately explain and predict the causes
of mathematics anxiety of primary school teachers. As
we all know, mathematics knowledge, as a main course,
occupies a large proportion in the curriculum.
Therefore, primary school teachers' mathematics anxiety
and their attitude and cognition towards mathematics
have a certain impact on primary school students'
mathematics learning. All teachers used to be students.
Mathematics teachers who grow up in an anxious
learning environment may associate bad experiences
about mathematics with mathematics learning, and their
students may also be affected by it. Thus, it forms an
adverse cycle. On the bright side, teachers with math
anxiety may also use their ability to perceive anxiety to
experience and alleviate students' math anxiety. In order
to solve the anxiety problem, the best way is to stop it
from the source. This requires teachers to understand
how mathematics anxiety is produced, and find the best
solution of their own according to the factors affecting
it.
2. THE CAUSES AND CURRENT
SITUATION OF MATH ANXIETY
So far, many scholars have defined mathematics
anxiety. Mathematics anxiety is regarded as an obstacle
to learning mathematics. Patients may experience a
psychological state of fear when doing mathematics
problems, thus affecting their mathematics performance
[3]. People with math anxiety will feel uncomfortable or
nervous when thinking or doing math problems, and
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 637
2021 International Conference on Education, Language and Art (ICELA 2021)
Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press SARL.
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license -http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. 325
even forget and lose self-confidence [4]. Richardson and
Suinn believe that mathematics anxiety includes tension
and anxiety that interfere with mathematics operation
and mathematical problem solving in various daily life
and academic environments [5]. Mathematics anxiety
has many manifestations, and it is not only emotional
anxiety, like tension, anxiety, fear and other negative
emotional reactions, but also physiological
manifestations, such as sweating, rapid heartbeat and
other changes [6]. Math anxiety may cause math
learners to avoid math learning, such as fewer math
classes than their peers and spend less time on math
learning [7]. It can be seen that although scholars have
not reached a consensus on a certain definition,
mathematics anxiety is recognized as an uncomfortable
experience in mathematics learning, and affects learners'
mathematics learning behavior to varying degrees.
2.1. Causes of Teachers’ Math Anxiety
The causes of mathematics anxiety have been widely
studied. At present, scholars mainly summarize three
reasons: negative experience related to mathematics; the
incomprehensible nature of mathematics; differences in
the degree of anxiety between genders. Tobias' research
found that when students feel that their learning is out of
control or embarrassing in front of their peers, or have
significant negative experiences with mathematics
teachers, they will associate negative emotions with
mathematics learning [4]. However, every teacher used
to be a student. If students with the above experience
become teachers, they are likely to teach with negative
emotions about mathematics, forming a vicious circle.
Mason found that factors related to the essence of
mathematics, such as many rules that mathematics
needs to remember, the abstract characteristics of
mathematics, and difficult exercises in mathematical
problem solving, may lead to mathematical anxiety [8].
In addition, gender can also affect the degree of
teachers' mathematical anxiety. Many studies have
shown that among teachers, women have a higher and
more common degree of mathematics anxiety than men,
and the vast majority of teachers are women. According
to the stereotype threat theory, the social stereotype of
women's mathematical ability [3], women may worry
about being judged and treated according to this
concept, resulting in a sense of threat, which is also one
of the incentives for women's higher mathematical
anxiety than men.
To be sure, mathematics anxiety is also related to
China's educational model. Huang Xiaorui found that
Chinese students have more math homework than
foreign students and take longer to complete according
to Pisa 2012 data analysis, [9]. Based on Pisa's system
level association between mathematics performance and
mathematical anxiety table [2], students in Shanghai,
Macao and Hong Kong have higher mathematics
anxiety, which is much higher than that in Britain, the
United States and Switzerland. Therefore, mathematics
anxiety in China needs to be paid more attention. It is
tough for mathematics teachers trained in this high
anxiety environment not to be affected by it.
2.2. Math Maladjustment and Math Anxiety
Felt by Teachers
Pre-service primary school teachers often become
real teachers in the future. The research of a Chinese
scholar Kong Yehan mentioned the similarity and
correlation between statistical anxiety and mathematical
anxiety, and measured the Statistical Anxiety of pre-
service teachers. The results showed that among the pre-
service teachers, the proportion of subjects with high
statistical anxiety is low, and the overall anxiety level of
subjects is in a moderate state. According to the inverted
U-shaped system proposed by Yerks Dodson, the author
infers that one-third of Chinese pre-service teachers
have statistical obstacles [10]. However, it is worth
considering that the direct relationship between
statistical anxiety and mathematical anxiety. In foreign
studies, Ball found that in a group of pre-service
primary school teachers, more than one third said they
were not good at mathematics and tended to avoid
mathematics. Burton found that 52% of pre-service
primary school teacher participants had a negative view
of mathematics, while only 14% had a positive view
[11]. Hembree discovered the math anxiety level of pre-
service teachers is higher than that of senior students
[12]. Colleen's study found that junior primary school
students have a higher math anxiety level than senior
primary school teachers (teachers with high math
anxiety have a lower understanding of math
knowledge); the mathematics anxiety of teachers with a
mathematics qualification certificate is lower than that
of teachers without a mathematics qualification
certificate; teachers with high mathematics anxiety tend
to adopt more traditional methods for Mathematics
Teaching [6].
3. THREE FACTORS AFFECTING
TEACHERS’ MATH ANXIETY
3.1. External locus of control / negative
experiences related to mathematics
In a study, most participants with math anxiety
expressed discomfort related to math learning in their
school career. For example, a participant named Beth
can still vividly recall the sharp criticism of her math
teacher in public and her feelings at that time after
decades [13]. It can be seen that the negative experience
has a profound and even indelible impact on students'
mathematics learning. These experiences may lead to
aversion to mathematics and lead to anxiety and other
symptoms.
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 637
326
3.2. Teacher’s mathematics skills
Spatial ability is the basis of learning mathematics.
A series of studies show that teachers with higher
mathematical anxiety have lower spatial ability. It can
be seen that lack of mastery of mathematics related
abilities will lead to anxiety. In addition, the lack of
teaching related ability or experience may also lead to
mathematics anxiety. Due to the reserve of teaching
experience is beyond the control of teachers, although
many teachers know how to solve mathematical
problems, they have not found the simplest and
understandable way for students. Some teachers show
that when students cannot understand the solution to the
problem, teachers with mathematics anxiety often find it
difficult to express and teach students in another way.
The results of another study show that previous teaching
experience accounts for the vast majority of teachers'
anxiety, followed by children's understanding and
adaptation to the established teaching structure [14].
When teachers cannot master factors other than
mathematics knowledge: classroom management,
supervision institutions, resources, such as the control of
time, they may feel anxious. This is actually due to their
lack of adaptability to teaching.
3.3. Selection of teaching methods
Teachers with high mathematics anxiety tend to
adopt traditional teaching style [15], and they also
believe in mathematics concepts consistent with the
mainstream beliefs in the United States [6]. In this
mathematical concept, teachers are considered not to
admit that their mathematical ability or knowledge
reserve is insufficient or uncertain [16]. This belief
requires teachers to show a state of "always being
confident in mathematics and never making mistakes".
In fact, no one is perfect and everyone will make
mistakes. This unrealistic concept and pursuit may
cause or aggravate teachers' mathematics anxiety. In
addition, the traditional classroom often emphasizes
training, regular examination and memory. Teachers
with mathematics anxiety tend to adopt a fixed
mathematics teaching plan, adhere to the preparation of
textbooks, solve the problems of words first, and then
deal with the problems related to words [17]. However,
in case of emergencies, such as school exercises disrupt
the teachers' teaching progress that results in incomplete
classroom content, teachers who adopt teaching
methods may feel anxious for less controlling over the
curriculum. If teachers choose flexible teaching methods
by allowing students to preview the remaining contents
independently, and carry out discussion links at the
beginning of the next class, such as setting relevant
topics for students to group, then requiring students to
complete and report the solution process through
communication. It is likely to help students increase
their understanding and memory of knowledge points,
and teachers will maintain control over the classroom in
this process.
4. THE INFLUENCE OF TEACHERS’
MATHEMATIC TEACHING BEHAVIOR
AND MATHEMATIC ANXIETY ON
STUDENTS
4.1. Negative Influence
In the face of teachers' mathematics anxiety, the
students are most directly affected. So far, the number
of teachers' mathematical anxiety in China's academic
research is very few, and there is almost no research on
primary school teachers' mathematical anxiety. Relevant
research on mathematics teaching behavior shows that
teachers' attitude towards students' achievement and
teachers' support has an impact on students'
mathematics anxiety. According to the investigation on
the current situation of students in the lower grades (1st
to 3rd grade) of primary school, if teachers show a
disappointed response to pupils' mathematics
performance in learning, it will directly affect the
generation of pupils' mathematics anxiety. Moreover,
the proportion of mathematics anxiety of students in 3rd
grade of primary school is higher than that of students in
lower grades, which is due to their academic pressure
and the enhancement of Mathematics Education [18].
Jiawang's research shows that teacher support has an
obvious negative predictive effect on mathematics
anxiety of second graders in primary school. In contrast,
many studies abroad have confirmed that teachers' high
mathematics anxiety will lead to students' low
mathematics performance. The influence of primary
school teachers' mathematics anxiety on primary school
students' mathematics anxiety needs to be continued.
Monica studied the relationship between teachers and
mathematics anxiety of children aged 1st to 3rd grades in
primary school. The results show that there is no
observable relationship between teachers' mathematics
anxiety and students' mathematics anxiety [8]. However,
this study did not provide a conclusive basis, nor did
teachers' mathematics anxiety generally predict students'
mathematics anxiety. We could see from it that teachers'
mathematical anxiety may not be closely related to
students' mathematical anxiety, but it has an impact to a
certain extent.
4.2. Positive Influence
In addition, the mathematics anxiety of primary
school teachers may have a positive impact on students.
Some teachers who have experienced math anxiety say
they can sympathize with and experience children with
math problems. Most teachers with math anxiety can
recognize their math anxiety, and some of them are
determined to break the vicious circle of stimulating
students' unpleasant math experience due to their math
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 637
327
anxiety [11]. This is the unique advantage of teachers
with math anxiety. Because of their own experience,
teachers with mathematics anxiety can better understand
the source of mathematics anxiety, the relationship
between mathematics anxiety and mathematics
achievement, and the impact on mathematics thinking
ability. Therefore, they have a strong sense of
responsibility to help students with math anxiety and are
better at identifying students' math anxiety, which is a
favorable factor for them to teach math than other
teachers. In the long run, students' confidence in
mathematics learning will be obtained and maintained,
and teachers with mathematics anxiety will get a sense
of achievement and gain happiness. In the long run,
teachers' mathematics anxiety will be reduced, and
students' and teachers' mathematics self-efficacy will be
improved, forming a positive cycle.
5. SUGGESTIONS ON PREVENTING AND
ALLEVIATING MATH ANXIETY
5.1. Suggestions for elementary school math
teachers
(1). Admit the difficulty of mathematics learning,
rather than question your mathematics ability.
Mathematics is recognized as one of the most difficult
subjects in the world. Understanding the characteristics
of mathematics learning will help teachers accept the
learning and teaching of mathematics. At the same time,
in an interview with a former primary school teacher, a
participant named Beth mentioned that when her
primary school mathematics teacher admitted the
difficulties in mathematics learning and advocated
students to forget their ideas about mathematics, Beth
accepted mathematics learning from the bottom of her
heart [11]. It can be seen that when the teacher honestly
expressed her feelings about mathematics learning,
students are likely to be sympathetic to the teacher,
Realize that this is the difficulty of mathematics, so as to
weaken the individual's anxiety about mathematics.
(2). Ensure basic skills and strengthen the handling
of mathematical problems. Teachers' mastery of the
basic knowledge of mathematics teaching, such as
strengthening the ability of logical reasoning and
understanding of abstract geometry, will help to
establish their self-confidence in mathematics learning.
(3). Increase the experience of mathematics
teaching. Teachers can enhance their understanding of
the teaching process by observing other teachers.
Studies have shown that pre service teachers can help
alleviate their math anxiety by observing interns. This
helps them to understand the teaching methods and
contents, students' mathematical habits in the classroom
and strategies to deal with the classroom [13]. In
addition, teachers can constantly optimize mathematics
teaching and enhance their confidence in teaching
through regular self reflection.
5.2. Suggestions for teaching students
The central content of alleviating and alleviating
students' mathematics anxiety is to establish a good link
with students, and make students feel warm and
sufficient sense of security in the process of
mathematics learning through positive expression and
interaction, so as to create a healthy mathematics
learning environment.
(1). Help students feel better, rather than passing the
information that mathematics is difficult and students
are not good at mathematics. Through positive
encouragement, stimulate students' confidence in their
mathematics learning. This requires teachers to
emphasize the importance of working hard in
mathematics learning and guide students to realize that
mistakes are a part of successful learning. For example,
when students encounter math problems, teachers can
say: "yes, this work is very challenging, but I know you
can do it through hard work" [19].
(2). Adopt teaching methods and deal with specific
problems in different ways. Teachers can teach
mathematics in a more flexible way, pay attention to the
applicability of teaching to most students, combine
mathematical problems with life scenes, and improve
students' interest in mathematics [5]. Teachers can also
change the scoring mode of mathematics curriculum and
replace a large exam that needs long-term study and
review with several small exams in different learning
periods, so as to reduce students' mathematics learning
pressure. Teachers need to express their support for
critical thinking, encourage students to explore and
think independently, and find a variety of solutions.
(3). Reduce the emphasis on correct answers and
calculation speed [7]. When correcting homework and
tests, teachers should pay more attention to students'
calculation process rather than results, so as to help
students better understand the mistakes and realize that
they have the ability to calculate the correct answers
through the correction process.
(4). Avoid embarrassing situations for students.
Teachers should not force students with poor
mathematical performance into the environment that
frightens them, but should give them questions that can
be answered within their ability according to their
ability, so as to enhance students' mathematical self-
confidence [7, 20, 21, 22] So as to reduce students'
possible negative experience related to mathematics.
6. CONCLUSION
Mathematics anxiety is a negative emotion produced
when carrying out mathematics related tasks. The
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 637
328
negative experience related to mathematics, the obscure
nature of mathematics and the influence of gender have
been proved to be the possible causes of mathematics
anxiety. In addition, the understanding of mathematics
anxiety should be further analyzed according to the
national conditions and education system of our
country. At present, for primary school teachers, the
factors affecting their mathematics anxiety focus more
on themselves, which is mainly related to their own
skills (including mathematics ability and teaching
ability) and teaching methods. However, primary school
teachers' mathematics anxiety does not always bring
negative effects. Primary school teachers who have
experienced mathematics anxiety can help find out in
time and alleviate students' anxiety through appropriate
methods. This also puts forward more requirements for
future mathematics teachers: not only do they have
knowledge reserve, teaching ability and experience
accumulation, but also pay attention to their own and
students' psychological state, honestly face the existing
problems, seriously interact with students, and adopt the
teaching method of encouragement, so as to guide
students to have more interest in mathematics learning,
cure their own math anxiety.
REFERENCES
[1] Lifeng Cai. Causes and Countermeasures of
mathematics teachers' anxiety in technical schools.
[2] OECD. PISA. Assessment and Analytical
Framework: Mathematics , Reading, Science ,
Problem Solving and Financial Literacy [M].
OECD, Paris, 2012.
[3] Beilock, S. L., Gunderson, E. A., Ramirez, G., &
Levine, S. C. Female teachers’ math anxiety affects
girls’ math achievement. Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences, vol. 107(5), 2010,
pp. 1860-1863.
[4] Tobias, S. Math mental health: Going beyond math
anxiety. College Teaching, vol. 39(3), 1991, pp.
91-93.
[5] Curtain-Phillips, M. The Causes and Prevention of
Math Anxiety, 2001, DOI: http://
www.mathgoodies.com/articles/math_anxiety.html
.
[6] Colleen M. Ganley, Robert C. Schoen, Mark
LaVenia, Amanda M. Tazaz. The Construct
Validation of the Math Anxiety Scale for
Teachers, 2019, DOI:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2332
858419839702
[7] Files.eric.ed.gov. Strategies for Reducing Math
Anxiety, 2011, DOI:
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED536509.pdf
[8] Szczygieł, M. When does math anxiety in parents
and teachers predict math anxiety and math
achievement in elementary school children? The
role of gender and grade year. Social Psychology
of Education, vol. 23(4), 2020, pp. 1023-1054.
[9] Xiaorui, Huang. The Effects of School Homework
and out of School Math Tutoring on Math Anxiety:
A Comparison between Shanghai (China) and
Finland, 2015.
[10] Yehan, Kong. Pre-service teacher’s statistics
anxiety’s level and the influence, 2010.
[11] Harper, N. W., & Daane, C. J. Causes and
reduction of math anxiety in preservice elementary
teachers. Action in Teacher Education, vol. 19(4),
1998, pp. 29-39.
[12] Hembree, R. The nature, effects, and relief of
mathematics anxiety. Journal for Research in
Mathematics Education, vol. 21(1), 1990, pp. 33–
46. https://doi.org/10.2307/749455
[13] Brown, A., Westenskow, A., & Moyer-Packenham,
P. Teaching anxieties revealed: Pre-service
elementary teachers’ reflections on their
mathematics teaching experiences. Teaching
Education, vol. 23(4), 2012, pp. 365-385.
[14] Lovett, J. N., Dick, L. K., McCulloch, A. W.,
Sherman, M. F., & Martin, K. Preservice
mathematics teachers’ professional noticing of
students’ mathematical thinking with technology.
Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science
Teaching, vol. 38(4), 2019, pp. 305-319.
[15] Bandura, A. Perceived self-efficacy in cognitive
development and functioning. Educational
Psychologist, vol. 28(2), 1993, pp. 117–148. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326985ep2802_3
[16] Givvin, K. B., Stipek, D. J., Salmon, J. M., &
MacGyvers, V. L. In the eyes of the beholder:
Students' and teachers' judgments of students
motivation. Teaching and Teacher Education, vol.
17(3), 2001, pp. 321–331. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0742-051X(00)00060-3
[17] Eysenck, M. W., Derakshan, N., Santos, R., &
Calvo, M. G. Anxiety and cognitive performance:
attentional control theory. Emotion, vol. 7(2), 2007,
336.
[18] Tingting Liu. Investigation on the current situation
of mathematics anxiety of early elementary school
students and its Countermeasures, 2020.
[19] Aft.org. Math Anxiety: Can Teachers Help
Students Rescue It? 2014, DOI:
https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/b
eilock.pdf
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 637
329
[20] Ashcraft, M.H., & Krause, J.A. Working Memory,
Math Performance, and Math Anxiety.
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, vol. 14(2), 2007,
pp. 243-248.
[21] Haralson, K. Math Anxiety: Myth or Monster?
Presentation at National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics Central Regional Conference,
Paducah, KY, 2002, DOI:
http://apbrwww5.apsu.edu/haralsonk/ppt/anxiety
presentation[paducah].ppt
[22] Woodard, T.The Effects of Math Anxiety on Post-
Secondary Development Students as Related to
Achievement, Gender, and Age. ERIC Document
Reproduction Service. vol. 9(1), 2004.
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 637
330