In this third and final part of this podcast episode, we conclude our conversation with Professors Alf Coles and Nathalie Sinclair about the dogmas they address in their book, I Can’t Do Maths! Why children say it and how to make a difference. In this part of the conversation, we put your questions, shared with us on social media, to Alf and Nathalie, and discuss topics including maths anxiety and enjoyment in the UK compared to other nations, how to support and encourage children who struggle with maths and how to respond when children ask, ‘When will I ever need this again?’.

A transcript (PDF) of this episode is available to download.

Show notes
Taking part in the discussion:

• Professor Alf Coles, University of Bristol


• Professor Nathalie Sinclair, Simon Fraser University, British Columbia


• Julia Thomson, Communications Manager, NCETM.

Episode chapters

• 00:06 - Introduction and welcome


• 00:39 - Is maths anxiety a global issue?


• 02:31 - When will I ever need this maths?


• 09:18 - How parents can support their children


• 12:33 - The importance of learning maths


• 16:17 - Conclusion and final thoughts

Useful links

• I Can’t Do Maths! Why children say it and how to make a difference by Professor Alf Coles and Professor Nathalie Sinclair (Bloomsbury, 2022)


• Vihart, maths YouTuber recommended by Nathalie Sinclair


• Maths Games with Bad Drawings by Ben Orlin (Little, Brown, 2022) recommended by Nathalie Sinclair


• Mathematics for Human Flourishing by Francis Su (Yale University Press, 2021) recommended by Nathalie Sinclair


• Learning Mathematics for an Environmentally Sustainable Future by Karl Bushnell (Association of Teachers of Maths, 2018), mentioned by Alf Coles 


• NCETM Primary Mastery Professional Development Materials


• Gattegno’s ‘numbers as lengths’ as mentioned by Alf Coles, Working with Rods and Why (Association of Teachers of Mathematics, 2017)


• I Can't Do Maths - Podcast Episode 78 - Part 1


• I Can't Do Maths - Podcast Episode 78 - Part 2


• Explore previous episodes of the NCETM podcast in our archive.