Pupils 'scared to ask for help' in Mathematics

Secondary school pupils are so scared of looking stupid in maths lessons they will not tell their teachers if they do not understand, suggests research.

A survey of 1,000 10- to 16-year-olds found two-thirds would rather struggle alone or ask friends or family for help. Half of the 15- and 16-year-olds felt they should already know the answer.

A government spokeswoman said plans to overhaul maths teaching would give children more confidence. The reasons pupils gave for not asking for help more often were that they were worried about looking foolish, were embarrassed or did not want to draw attention to themselves.

The survey suggests that older teenagers are more timid than younger pupils when it comes to answering questions in class. Two-thirds of 10-year-olds said they were always happy to put their hands up, but this proportion was down to just over a third in the 16-year-olds.

Boys were more willing than girls to answer questions and were also more likely to describe themselves as very good at maths. A minority of pupils were said they felt embarrassed or like swots because of their strong mathematical ability.


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