The fear of numbers can crop up at some unlikely times. The most recent was over a coffee with a friend, and it came as a surprise.
He ran a successful business which relied on data analysis. He navigated the financial ups and downs of bringing up a family, and made some shrewd house purchases. Numbers were a key tool in his life, and yet he was frightened of them! He is not alone. One in five parents report they are anxious when using numbers.
The ability to handle numbers gets a bad press. Celebrities proudly boast they ‘can’t do maths’, which is a contradiction, because they must understand numbers when it comes to the amount of money they want from their latest appearance in the media or on the socials. Celebrity mathematicians provide an intellectual curiosity about maths, but don’t help with the people trying to understand the latest mortgage deal. All of this gives the impression that the ability to handle numbers is beyond most people’s reach.
I suspect that the fear of numbers is inherent in the education system. In my day we had to stand in front of the class and recite times tables or perform calculations in our head, it was more a test of character than developing numbers skills. The education system has moved on since then but it is estimated that about 30% of young children in the age group 8 - 9 reported feeling anxious when doing maths tests. The government’s Early Years Foundation Stage is an attempt to reduce this anxiety by setting standards for learning about numbers which focuses on learning through play and exploration. For example, counting toys, sorting objects, singing number songs, and using everyday situations such as counting snacks, steps, or friends. Integrating numbers into everyday living and not making them something mysterious is a good step forward. But, for it to be successful, parents must provide support for their children at home. The challenge is to get those parents who are struggling with maths, to come to terms with their lack of numeracy skills in a positive way so that they are motivated to seek help. They need to move from “being bad at maths” to building their confidence.
Help is at hand. The UK government has a Multiply programme which offers free or fully funded numeracy courses for adults who do not already hold a qualifications in maths. The charity, National Numeracy, whose ambassador is the financial celebrity Martin Lewis, offers resources and support for adults. Free online tools like the National Numeracy Challenge lets adults test and improve their skills anonymously and at their own pace. This builds confidence before joining classes or talking to others. Many local colleges and adult learning centres offer free or subsidised maths/numeracy courses for adults.
Numbers are part of the language of everyday living. They let us measure, compare, and understand the world. With improved numeracy people will gain freedom, confidence, and control. Next time somebody mentions they are frightened by numbers why don’t you buy them a coffee, and encourage them to contact an organisations that could help.