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Uncovering the Link Between Adult Innumeracy and Mathematics Anxiety

This study explores the connection between adult innumeracy and mathematics anxiety, revealing how primary teachers' attitudes and beliefs contribute to this issue. Results show profound implications for adult numeracy and the perpetuation of innumeracy through negative attitudes among pre-service primary teachers.

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Uncovering the Link Between Adult Innumeracy and Mathematics Anxiety

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  1. Passing it on: linking adult innumeracy to mathematics attitudes, low self-efficacy beliefs, and math-anxiety in student primary teachers Dr Chris KlingerUniversity of South Australiachris.klinger@unisa.edu.au

  2. Introduction • Connection between adult innumeracy and maths-anxiety • Common origin found in primary education & role or primary teachers • IMAES survey of pre-service primary teachers • Negative findings more extreme than for other undergraduates • profound implications for adult numeracy • Not whether so many adults lack adequate numeracy skills but why? • endemic adult innumeracy is deeply embedded • hallmarks of a ‘bootstrap’ problem

  3. Innumeracy • a passive state – invisible • lack of awareness of cognitive deficit • maths learning affected by attitudes & inhibited by fear • inextricable link between adult innumeracy & math-aversion • an active state – a choice to remain innumerate • conscious, voluntary • unconscious, involuntary

  4. Maths anxiety • learned response rather than innate behaviour • impact of early maths learning experiences • poor teaching, humiliation, belittlement • by association with influential maths-anxious others

  5. Origin of poor maths attitudes • maths anxiety firmly rooted in primary school years • impact of primary school teachers • school & curriculum practices • children’s developmental immaturity (Piaget) • middle/late primary school years are critical

  6. Facts from TIMMS 2003 • Over critical 4 yrs, 60-70% at risk (or worse) of being ‘turned off’ maths • Causal factors: • attributes of primary teachers • attributes of pre-service primary teachers • framework of educational systems, schools, curriculum practices *same cohort sampled (1995/99) * * different cohorts (2003)

  7. Schools • 38% of class time for literacy compared with 18% of class time for numeracy (Australia) • International average: 16% of class time spent on 4th grade maths • Lack of specialist teachers • only 1 in 9 Australian primary schools have specialist numeracy teachers • other specialist teachers: • literacy (51%), music (47%), physical education (46%)

  8. Teachers (in-service and pre-service) • Internationally, 25% of 4th-grade primary teachers have a post-secondary math specialization (Australia: 17% & UK/USA: 8%) • can’t assume these are numeracy specialists • 80% are female; average 16 yrs teaching experience • 90% of 4th-graders taught by teachers who feel ‘ready to teach the topics in number, algebra, measurement, and data’ • How many are ‘covertly innumerate’ at Maguire and O’Donoghue’s (2002) integrative level?

  9. Speedy Report (Australia, 1989) • Stressed importance of high-order mathematical knowledge and competency • ‘serious concerns’ over very poor maths knowledge of new student primary teachers • In US, similarly, student teachers rated sig. below norms for general population • Several more recent studies: • lack of conceptual understanding • overt negativity & maths anxiety

  10. Student primary teachers & IMAES • Sample cohort: • 26 participants in double degrees • B.Ed. with B.A. or B.Sc. • 81% female • >50% with no secondary maths after Year 11 • 19.4% with secondary maths to Year 10 only • 31% with B.Sc. as second degree

  11. Results • Females fared worse than males in all constructs • Comparison with previous results for all commencing undergrads: • student teachers fared worse than other students in primary constructs of: • maths-anxiety • maths-attitude • maths self-efficacy beliefs

  12. CHARTS Comparison of aggregate scales in three primary domains by student type

  13. TABLES

  14. TABLES

  15. TABLES

  16. Discussion & Conclusion • 4 main dimensions: • Abstract curriculum content vs Piaget’s developmental stages • Time allocated to maths teaching & learning in primary schools • Teachers’ expertise and preparedness • Attitudes & anxieties of pre-service primary teachers

  17. maths attitudes, anxieties, and self-efficacy beliefs of many pre-service primary teachers are profoundly unfavourable and detrimental to their future responsibilities • teachers’ maths anxiety and limited conceptions spark maths anxiety and negative attitudes in their pupils • innumeracy is perpetuated as maths anxiety is ‘passed on’

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