What Explains Maths Fluency in Children? Maths Anxiety, Strategies and Cognitive Factors

Abstract

Math fluency and the use of advanced cognitive strategies are thought to be influenced by affective and cognitive factors from primary school onward. This study aims to examine the relationship between the components of maths anxiety, use of advanced cognitive strategies and basic maths tasks. Additionally, it investigates the role of general cognitive factors, including verbal working memory and nonverbal reasoning in the choice of solving strategies and maths fluency. One hundred and thirty-nine female third-grade students took a set of tests for maths fluency, solving strategies in maths, and cognitive abilities: nonverbal reasoning and updating verbal working memory and ranked themselves on a scale for maths anxiety. Ten students were excluded for reasons including not completing the tests or misunderstanding the instructions. The results show that although maths anxiety predicts maths fluency, the components of maths anxiety have different predictability levels. Additionally, maths evaluation anxiety predicts maths fluency while learning maths anxiety does not predict maths fluency. Although, maths evaluation anxiety is not related to decrease in use of advanced cognitive strategies, it is negatively correlated with maths fluency. Nonverbal reasoning and updating of verbal working memory are directly and indirectly related to maths fluency, with the use of advanced cognitive strategies as a mediator. These findings indicate that affective and cognitive factors have different impacts on the use of solving strategies in maths. Researchers and educators should focus in teaching children advanced cognitive strategies to improve maths fluency. Moreover, training general cognitive abilities should be taken in account in any trials for developing students' maths abilities. Furthermore, understanding the factors which are related to the increase of maths evaluation anxiety requires further research.