Mathematics anxiety and mathematics teaching anxiety of in-service and pre-service primary school teachers

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study explores effects of teaching experience and specialized mathematics education on mathematics anxiety and mathematics teaching anxiety. Fifty-nine female pre-service and in-service mathematics primary school teachers with varied specialized mathematics education and teaching experience responded to a questionnaire measuring mathematics anxiety and mathematics teaching anxiety. The results illustrate that specialized mathematics education affects in-service primary school teachers’ mathematics anxiety, and that teaching experience is associated with mathematics teaching anxiety. Moreover, mathematics anxiety of some in-service primary teachers without specialization does not fade with time. The discussion highlights the importance of identifying mathematics anxiety in primary school teachers with no specialized mathematics education, aiming to lower it. The small sample and participants’ background limit the power of the findings. This study recommends conducting further studies according to the suggested mathematics anxiety cognitive-behavioral model; addressing cultural differences, teachers with and without specialized mathematics education, and comparing middle and secondary teachers.