Math proficiency has been dropping in the US since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, with more children struggling to perform basic math tasks.
Not only are children as young as six experiencing math anxiety, but it is continuing throughout their education; only a quarter (26%) of children in eighth grade are proficient in math, a drop of 8% since 2022.
This concerning trend continues into adulthood, with 30% of the entire US population struggling with math.
When factoring in conditions that can further impact math ability, like dyscalculia and ADHD, it highlights the stark nature of the US math crisis.
We’ve spoken to math experts to get their professional tips on how to improve math ability in the US, with insight from psychologists, Brighterly’s EdTech experts and math educators.
What’s affecting children’s math ability?
The factors contributing to children’s struggles with math are varied and complex, but there are three key conditions that make learning math difficult for children: dyscalculia, ADHD and math anxiety.
Math anxiety and stress
Children as young as 6 are struggling with math anxiety across the US. Math anxiety presents in a number of ways, including an apprehension towards studying math, difficulties concentrating on the subject, negative self-talk physical symptoms, like perspiration and a racing heart and an inability to remember math concepts or facts.
Dyscalculia and a lack of math comprehension
A lack of math comprehension is the key symptom of the learning disability dyscalculia, which affects up to 14% of kids in the US. Dyscalculia presents as struggles with counting numbers (even single-digit numbers), the inability to understand or interpret charts and graphs, difficulties performing mental math (even simple operations) and a lack of understanding around patterns in numbers or visuals.
ADHD and related math-related disabilities
The neurodivergent condition ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) has a range of symptoms, many of which are gender-specific. However, the main symptoms are hyperactiveness and impulsive behavior, struggles with concentration and focus and a lack of ability to memorize simple concepts.
Expert advice for supporting children with math difficulties
We’ve spoken to experts in a range of math and psychological disciplines to get their trusted methods for supporting kids who experience math difficulties. Below are the top three tips to engage children in the learning process.
Entice them with device-based learning
Did you know you can use your kid’s love of their phones and tablets to help them with their math learning?
Not only are there a wealth of apps, video content and tutoring available online, but studies have proven that they improve math abilities, especially in kids with ADHD. Five children with ADHD took part in a study using Say-it and Learn, with results showing improved engagement with learning math, letters and shapes. CEO and founder of Ling, Simon Bacher, says: “The findings are astonishing, demonstrating how apps combat boredom and significantly improve concentration.”
He further explains: “Audiovisual stimuli facilitate information processing and memorization, which makes smartphone applications an effective learning tool for children with ADHD.”
Now parents can turn distracting devices into tools for education, and kids can continue to enjoy using them. It’s a win-win!
Always give your kid encouragement
Kids with math anxiety often engage in negative self-talk, which further decreases their confidence. Negative mindsets impact how they learn and even increase math-related learning difficulties, so kids need positive encouragement. That means making sure children feel competent and confident; if a child believes people think they’re incompetent, it worsens their academic performance and motivation.
Elm Learning’s CEO, Andrew Fayad, has some advice for parents when it comes to boosting children’s confidence and feelings of competence, proposing they focus on: “highlighting their progress and celebrating every success, no matter how small.”
Fusion Academy’s Department Head of Mathematics, Evan Copeland, agrees: “You should create a safe space to raise a child's progress. It’s the most critical aspect of healing their anxiety”. Improving performance in math doesn’t just come from math exercises, but by challenging negative self-attitudes.
Engage kids visually with real-life examples and hands-on tools
A child is three times more likely to receive an ADHD diagnosis if they have an existing vision problem. This means it’s more difficult to focus on or understand math.
Optometric Physician and founder of Brighter Outlook Vision, Jesse Willingham, elaborates: “Children struggling with math could have a vision problem, making it physically difficult for them to understand and process the information. This can make it even harder for their eyes to focus. It may make the numbers appear double or like they are moving around on the page.”
There are plenty of real-life visual ways to represent math concepts that can lessen the impact of these vision problems. Abacuses help kids understand numbers, addition and subtraction in a highly visual and engaging way. Using toys, food or money can also help children with ADHD because they “provide interactive and hands-on learning”, according to Ray Christner, Doctor of Psychology.
Brighterly’s math experts support this, advising that math is considerably less daunting to children when they can appreciate its significance in real life. Presenting math concepts through the real world makes them feel less abstract. Experts recommend cooking or shopping with kids to embed math into everyday experiences.
This also helps children with dyscalculia. Clinical Psychologist and owner of Grace Psychological Services, Nick Bach, says teachers and parents should “incorporate visual aids like number lines, diagrams and blocks into your study session [to] significantly enhance understanding and retention for children with dyscalculia, making abstract ideas more concrete and accessible.”
Kids who experience math-related anxiety or learning disabilities perform worse academically. These proven strategies can help parents and teachers support kids in overcoming their worries and help them learn in a way that addresses their needs. A math-literate future generation is essential considering more jobs than ever in the future will require math skills. Starting at school will equip our future workforce with the skills and confidence required to succeed in the future world of work.
About the author
Jessica Kaminski is a math expert and teacher at Brighterly. She specializes in creating engaging, interactive learning programs for students. With a passion for fostering academic growth and creativity, Jessica combines her expertise in curriculum development with a commitment to personalized education, ensuring every student thrives in their learning journey. Jessica is a part of the Brighterly Editorial team.
