Learning Diversity News

Maths Anxiety

Melbourne based company Playlunch Games in conjunction with the Mathematics Association of Victoria have launched a new Maths Game app built upon addressing Maths Anxiety in students from a family approach.

The app is available for a 90 day trial period at present and you can then cancel the subscription prior to being charged a monthly or yearly fee. I would ask parents to consider having a look at it and even then provide me with some feedback about it. I had a look with my own Primary School aged son and he quite liked it.

Here is some more information about the theory behind the app. 

What is Maths Anxiety?

Imagine being a child, going into maths class having a feeling of fear and dread. “Maths anxiety is the worry and tension some people feel when doing, or even just thinking about, maths.” This tension can interrupt and overload working memory, which stops you from thinking clearly and logically. This leads to making mistakes, frustration and loss of motivation. Maths anxiety can cause long-term problems, leading capable students away from maths opportunities and careers. (Thomson, DeBortoli & Buckley, 2013) 

“I’m not a maths person” Chances are you’ve heard someone say this, or even said something similar yourself. Without the right support and encouragement, it’s easy to fall into the belief that your mathematical potential cannot change. These beliefs are formed early in life, and then confirmed by our own experiences struggling with maths. (Buckley, Reid, Good, Lipp & Thomson, 2016) If you’re negative towards maths, then your children might feel the same. You’re not alone, maths invokes a negative response more than any other school subject. “I can’t do maths”, is socially acceptable, however you rarely hear someone admit not being able to read. 

Town Squared is designed to help overcome these ideas, help you learn how to support a growth mindset, and build your family’s confidence in maths. It is the support that targets the exact needs of your child. Your child’s behaviour in the game is analysed for behavioural trends that may indicate enjoyment, persistence or an anxious response to a concept. The Family Portal provides you with insights, strategies and resources that target their exact needs, so you can focus your energy on where it matters most and better support your child’s learning journey.

Refresher content just for you, the parents. Chances are, many maths concepts are taught differently these days, or they’ve been forgotten. As your child engages a concept in-game, you can quickly get up to speed on how it’s taught in class and why. You don’t need to know everything, just enough to stay one step ahead.We write in a way that’s easy to understand, and quick to digest - because we know how busy life with kids can be. It contains progress reporting that’s more than just right and wrong. The Family Portal shows you the areas of maths your child is enjoying, attempting or avoiding and behavioural data is also used for measuring your child’s persistence, problem-solving skills, flexible thinking, collaboration and wellbeing. You can see how they’re performing compared to other children their age, or simply focus on encouraging and acknowledging their improvements. 

Town Squared encourages your child to actively participate in maths, through gameplay and social connection.

Town Squared will help your child understand how to apply maths usefully, and develop the problem-solving skills that will accompany them through life. For more information please visit https://www.townsquaredgame.com/