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Reframing anxiety and uncertainty in the mathematics classroom

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Abstract

In this article, educational and psychological perspectives are used to examine how anxiety and uncertainty in the mathematics classroom can be reframed to benefit mathematical teaching and learning. Links between anxiety and uncertainty are discussed and from this discussion, two methods are proposed for reducing the negative impact of mathematics anxiety on learning. Firstly, it is argued that initiatives designed to teach students to use emotion regulation skills can help to reframe anxiety and improve students’ ability to regulate negative emotion. In particular, the skill of reappraisal is discussed. Secondly, it is proposed that pedagogical approaches that encourage students to embrace challenge will help to normalise uncertainty in classrooms and promote more positive affect and engagement with mathematics. These approaches include choosing suitable tasks, differentiating those tasks, orchestrating classroom discussions that include all students and consolidating the learning with further tasks suitably varied. Rather than teachers seeking to remove anxiety, students can be encouraged to manage their anxiety in order to promote more positive mathematical learning and to develop mathematical resilience.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Australian Council for Educational Research, 19 Prospect Hill Rd, Camberwell VIC 3124, Melbourne, Australia

    Sarah Buckley

  2. Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

    Peter Sullivan

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  1. Sarah Buckley
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  2. Peter Sullivan
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Both authors were involved in all stages and aspects of the article. The first author took the lead on the literature review and the discussion and interpretation of mathematics anxiety and emotion regulation, and the second author of summary and explanation of aspects related to mathematics and its pedagogy.

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Correspondence to Sarah Buckley.

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Buckley, S., Sullivan, P. Reframing anxiety and uncertainty in the mathematics classroom. Math Ed Res J 35 (Suppl 1), 157–170 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-021-00393-8

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