Why Students Struggle With Math

In this article, I’m going to share with you a couple of reasons why students struggle with math and how to overcome it.

Math is probably the number one subject hated by students all over the world.  In fact, a study suggests that 37% of students between 13 and 17 years struggle with math. However, some students find the subject interesting.

In most cases, students who have learning difficulties, short attention spans, anxiety, and other conditions struggle with math and other subjects as well.

You Can Always Seek Help With Math

Yes, instead of struggling and hating math, why not seek help from the experts? Whether you’re looking to solve transformation problems, you want to know the method of getting a solution to certain math equations, or find answers for math problems, there is always someone who can help you out there.
You just need to know how to find a trustworthy math helper who understands how to solve different math equations and problems.

That said, let’s understand why many students struggle with math.

Attention Difficulties

This doesn’t apply to math only. Whether it’s chemistry, English, or any subject, if you’re less attentive in class, you will not understand what your professor teaches you.
The challenge with math is that for you to find a solution to a problem, you must follow a certain formula step by step. Failure to do that, will not get the correct answer.

Unfortunately, some students with concentration difficulties end up missing important steps. And when it comes to complex math formulas, many students find it hard to stay focused.
These students end up struggling to revisit prior concepts they didn’t understand during math classes later.

Unclear Basic Concepts

Think of learning math as building a house. You start by building a strong foundation so that it doesn’t crumble.
In math, you need to understand basic concepts so that as you progress to complex math problems, it becomes easier for you to grasp concepts easily. Most students who struggle with math lack a clear understanding of basic math concepts. In other words, they have a weak foundation in math.

Difficult Teaching Methods

Math is a tough subject but easy to understand when the teacher uses simple teaching methods. The good thing is that there is no one-size-fits-all formula for teaching or understanding math. This means that teachers should explore various teaching methods that students can easily understand.

Lack of Practice

If there is a subject you can’t get better in without practicing then it’s math. Yes, you have to practice solving math problems and equations using different formulas and techniques. Unfortunately, many students don’t spend sufficient time practicing math. This happens when students think they understand a concept and don’t need to waste time reviewing or practicing it, but when solving a problem, they find it hard.

Teachers can encourage students to practice a lot and revisit different topics they struggle with. Students should also use available resources online to practice.

Math is a tough subject but teachers can try as much as they can to help students who struggle with the subject. Students can also learn to be attentive, take practice tests, and explore different techniques of working out math problems and equations.