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

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

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

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

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

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)

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%)

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?

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

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

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

CHARTS

Comparison of aggregate scales in three primary domains by student type

TABLES

TABLES

TABLES

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

• 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’