Causes and Solutions of Mathematics Phobia Among Secondary School Students

Abstract

The study investigated the causes and solutions to mathematics phobia among secondary school students. The study was carried in Owerri North local Government of Imo State. The descriptive survey research design was adopted in carrying out the study. A sample of 110 mathematics teacher was selected for the study through random sampling technique. A researcher made 4-points likert type of questionnaire titled “Causes and Solutions of Mathematics Phobia(CSMP)”was used for data collection, it had reliability coefficient of 0.81 determined using the crounbach’s alpha formula. The generated data was analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer research questions while the hypothesis was analyzed using chi-square(x²) and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the study revealed among other factors, teachers method of teaching, teacher-students relationship, use of abusive words on students as causes of mathematics phobia among students. Based on the result it was recommended that, mathematics teachers should be retrained periodically in order to have ideas of innovative approaches of teaching mathematics to avoid phobia.

Keywords: causes, solutions, mathematics phobia, innovative approaches.