Summary of Irmayanti et al. (2024)

Background & Existing Knowledge

Asian schools often demonstrate high academic achievement in mathematics, but this success can be accompanied by increased stress and math anxiety (MA) among students. While research in cognitive psychology shows a positive link between storytelling and enjoyable learning, the specific application of storytelling in mathematics education, particularly in Asian contexts, remains underexplored.

New Insights from This Study

✔ This narrative review synthesizes empirical research on storytelling methods in mathematics classrooms across Asian schools.

✔ The findings reveal diverse storytelling methods employed across different educational levels (early childhood to high school).

✔ The study highlights the potential of storytelling to create more enjoyable learning experiences, potentially mitigating math anxiety.

Practical Applications: How Educators Can Use This Research

Course Design

📌 Integrate storytelling into mathematics lessons to make abstract concepts more relatable and engaging.

📌 Develop age-appropriate mathematical narratives that contextualize problems and illustrate mathematical principles.

📌 Design activities where students create their own math-related stories, fostering creativity and deeper understanding.

Evaluation Tools

📌 Assess students' enjoyment and engagement in mathematics through surveys and qualitative feedback after storytelling interventions.

📌 Monitor for reductions in observable signs of math anxiety during problem-solving or math-related activities.

📌 Evaluate the impact of storytelling on conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills in mathematics.

Instructional Support

📌 Train mathematics teachers on effective storytelling techniques and how to craft compelling mathematical narratives.

📌 Provide resources with examples of successful storytelling applications in different areas of mathematics.

📌 Promote interdisciplinary collaboration between language arts and mathematics educators to leverage storytelling expertise.

Conclusion

This review indicates that storytelling holds significant promise for enhancing mathematics learning and potentially reducing math anxiety in Asian schools by making the subject more enjoyable and accessible.

Key Words

Storytelling, Math anxiety, Mathematics education, Asian schools, Learning

Reference

Irmayanti, M., Chou, L.-F., & Zainal Anuar, N. N. B. (2024). Storytelling and math anxiety: a review of storytelling methods in mathematics learning in Asian countries. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 40(24). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-024-00927-1

Suggested Citation

Ross, E. M., & Malar, D. B. J. (2025). Storytelling and Math Anxiety. Excellent Educator, 2(15), 5.