為什麼人們會對數學感到如此焦慮？ - Orly Rubinsten：英語精讀講義

When French mathematician Laurent Schwartz was in high school,

當法國數學家羅倫·施瓦茨還在讀高中時，

he started to worry that he wasn't smart enough to solve math problems. 文法

他開始擔心自己不夠聰明，解不出數學題。

Maybe you know a similar feeling.

也許你有過類似的感覺。

You sit down to take a math test and you feel your heart beat faster 文法

你坐下來參加數學考試，感覺心跳加速，

and your palms start to sweat.

手心開始出汗。

You get butterflies in your stomach and you can't concentrate. 慣用語

你心裡忐忑不安，無法集中注意力。

This phenomenon is called math anxiety. 文法

這種現象被稱為「數學焦慮症」。

And if it happens to you,

如果這發生在你身上，

you're not alone. 語氣意圖

你並不孤單。

Researchers think about 20% of the population suffers from it. 片語搭配

研究人員認為大約20%的人受此困擾。

Some psychologists even consider it a diagnosable condition. 用詞

一些心理學家甚至認為這是一種可診斷的疾病。

But having mathematical anxiety doesn't necessarily mean you're bad at math. 片語搭配

但有數學焦慮並不一定意味著你數學不好。

Not even close. 語氣意圖

差得遠呢。

Laurent Schwartz went on to win the Fields Medal, 講解

羅倫·施瓦茨後來贏得了費爾茲獎，

the highest award in mathematics.

這是數學界的最高獎項。

People might think that they're anxious about math because they're bad at it. 片語搭配

人們可能會認為，他們對數學感到焦慮是因為他們數學不好。

But it's often the other way around. 慣用語

但事實往往恰恰相反。

They're doing poorly in math because they're anxious about it. 文法

他們數學考得差，是因為他們對數學感到焦慮。

Some psychologists think that's because math anxiety decreases a cognitive resource called working memory. 用詞

一些心理學家認為，這是因為數學焦慮會減少一種叫做「工作記憶」的認知資源。

That's the short-term memory system

這是一種短期記憶系統，

that helps you organize the information you need to complete a task.

它可以幫助你組織完成一項任務所需的資訊。

Worrying about being able to solve math problems or not doing well on a test eats up working memory, 片語動詞

擔心自己能不能解出數學題，或者擔心考不好，會消耗工作記憶，

leaving less of it available to tackle the math itself. 文法

讓你只剩下很少的精力去應對數學本身。

People can suddenly struggle with even basic math skills 片語搭配

人們可能會突然在基本的數學技能上遇到困難，

like arithmetic that they've otherwise mastered. 用詞

比如他們本來已經掌握的算術。

Academic anxiety certainly isn't limited to math, 片語搭配

學業焦慮當然不侷限於數學，

but it does seem to happen much more frequently 文法

但在數學這門學科上，它似乎發生得更加頻繁，

and cause more harm in that subject.

造成的傷害也更大。

So why would that be? 表達脈絡

那麼，為什麼會這樣呢？

Researchers aren't yet sure,

研究人員目前還不確定，

but some studies suggest that the way children are exposed to math 片語搭配

但一些研究表明，孩子們接觸數學的方式

by their parents and teachers play a large part. 片語搭配

受父母和老師的影響很大。

If parents talk about math like something challenging and unfamiliar, 文法

如果父母把數學說成是一件充滿挑戰和陌生經歷的事情，

children can internalize that. 用詞

孩子們就會在潛移默化中接受這種看法。

Teachers with math anxiety are also likely to spread it to their students. 文法

有數學焦慮症的老師也很容易把它傳染給學生。

Pressure to solve problems quickly dials up stress even more. 片語動詞

快速解題的壓力更會增加這種焦慮。

And in some cultures,

在某些文化中，

being good at math is a sign of being smart in general. 片語搭配

數學好是聰明的一個普遍標誌。

When the stakes are that high, 慣用語

當得失如此之大時，

it's not surprising that students are anxious.

學生感到焦慮也就不令人意外了。

Even Maryam Mirzakhani,

即使是瑪麗安·米爾札哈尼，

an influential mathematician

這位有影響力的數學家，

who was the first woman to win the Fields Medal,

同時也是首位獲得費爾茲獎的女性，

felt unconfident and lost interest in mathematics 片語搭配

也曾感到不自信，對數學失去了興趣，

because her math teacher in middle school didn't think she was talented.

因為她國中的數學老師認為她沒有天賦。

So if you experience mathematical anxiety, 表達脈絡

那麼，如果你經歷了數學焦慮，

what can you do?

你能做些什麼呢？

Relaxation techniques like short breathing exercises

放鬆技巧，比如短暫的呼吸練習，

have improved test performance in students with math anxiety. 片語搭配

已經被證明可以提高患有數學焦慮症的學生的考試成績。

Writing down your worries can also help. 片語動詞

把你的煩惱寫下來也有幫助。

This strategy may give you a chance to reevaluate a stressful experience, 片語搭配

這個策略可能給你一個重新評估壓力體驗的機會，

freeing up working memory. 片語動詞

從而釋放出工作記憶。

And if you have the chance,

如果有機會的話，

physical activity like a brisk walk

像快走這樣的體育活動

deepens breathing and helps relieve muscle tension,

可以加深呼吸，幫助緩解肌肉緊張，

preventing anxiety from building. 文法

從而防止焦慮累積。

You can also use your knowledge about the brain to change your mindset.

你還可以利用關於大腦的知識來改變你的心態。

The brain is flexible

大腦是靈活的，

and the areas involved in math skills can always grow and develop.

與數學技能相關的大腦區域可以不斷成長和發展。

This is a psychological principle called the growth mindset. 用詞

這是一個被稱為「成長型思維」的心理學原理。

Thinking of yourself as someone who can grow and improve 文法

把自己看作是一個可以成長和進步的人，

can actually help you grow and improve.

實際上可以幫助你成長和進步。

If you're a teacher or parent of young children,

如果你是一名老師或年幼孩子的父母，

try being playful with math 文法

試著用好玩的方式對待數學，

and focusing on the creative aspects.

專注於它的創造性。

That can build the numerical skills

這可以培養他們的數字技能，

that help students approach math with confidence later on. 片語搭配

幫助學生在未來充滿信心地應對數學。

Importantly,

重要的是，

you should give children the time and space to work through their answers. 講解

你應該給孩子時間和空間，讓他們自己算出答案。

And if you're an administrator,

如果你是一名學校管理者，

make sure your teachers have the positive attitudes and mathematical confidence

請確保你的老師具有積極的態度和數學自信，

necessary to inspire confidence in all of their students.

這是激發所有學生自信心的必要條件。

Also,

此外，

don't let anyone spread the myth 片語搭配

不要讓任何人散布這樣的迷思：

that boys are innately better than girls at math. 用詞

男孩天生就比女孩更擅長數學。

That is completely false. 語氣意圖

這是完全錯誤的。

If you experience math anxiety,

如果你經歷著數學焦慮，

it may not help to just know that math anxiety exists.

僅僅知道數學焦慮症的存在可能並沒有什麼幫助。

Or perhaps it's reassuring to put a name to the problem. 慣用語

或者，也許能為這個問題命名會讓人感到些許寬慰。

Regardless,

無論如何，

if you take a look around yourself,

如果你環顧四周，

the odds are good 片語搭配

很有可能，

that you'll see someone experiencing the same thing as you.

你會看到有人正在經歷和你一樣的事情。

Just remember that the anxiety is not a reflection of your ability, 慣用語

只要記住，焦慮並不是你能力的體現，

but it is something you can conquer with time and awareness. 慣用語

而是你可以透過時間和意識去克服的挑戰。