Mathematics Anxiety in the High School Classroom: A Teacher’s Perspective

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to encourage mathematics teachers to use existing mathematics anxiety instruments to aide in early identification of high school students who might benefit from differentiated instruction geared toward alleviating mathematics anxiety. A voluntary sample of 96 high school students completed a mathematics anxiety instrument. Case studies are provided illustrating how the use of early identification of mathematics anxiety aided the teacher in identifying and providing interventions for students with scale-identified or student-identified mathematics anxiety. This study does not seek to provide new interventions, but illuminate the need for early identification and teacher initiated treatments for lessening mathematics anxiety.

Authors

• Melissa Carter, University of Arkansas

• Elizabeth Ann Keiffer, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville