One of the Barriers to Providing Effective Mathematics Teaching: Anxiety and its Causes

Abstract

This study investigated 'the causes of mathematics anxiety which hinders effective mathematics teaching' in terms of pupils' perspectives. Dependent upon the aim of this study, qualitative research method was used. According to the purposive sampling and typical-purposive sampling procedures, three public primary schools in Denizli were selected. From each primary school, two classrooms and from each classroom, three pupils were selected. Eighteen pupils in the sampling stated that they were aware of their being mathematics anxious. They emphasized that their personality, teachers, parents and peers as the causes of anxiety. The results of this study can be useful both for the area and for teachers, pupils and parents to recognize the reasons of mathematics anxiety and to overcome it.