More than ability: Teachers’ perspectives on how student attitudes shape mathematics achievement

Víctor Hugo Perera-Rodríguez

doi:10.29333/ejmste/18501

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Víctor Hugo Perera-Rodríguez ¹ ^*

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¹ Department of Teaching and Organization of Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Seville, Seville, SPAIN^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This study explores the influence of student attitudes towards mathematics on their academic performance, from the perspective of primary and secondary school teachers. Employing a qualitative descriptive methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 22 teachers across six state-funded schools in Andalusia, Spain. The findings indicate that academic performance is significantly influenced by a complex interplay of factors, including classroom climate, family context, and teaching methodologies. Notably, teachers perceive student attitudes not merely as a correlation of success, but as a direct causal factor, often more critical than innate cognitive ability. They also identify a pressing need for professional development focused on pedagogical and emotional strategies to actively address disruptive and negative attitudes. This study underscores the importance of teacher training in fostering positive student dispositions, offering a framework for analyzing and intervening in the affective dimension of mathematics education.

Keywords

attitudes towards mathematics
academic performance
teacher perspective
mathematics education
affective factors

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 22, Issue 5, May 2026, Article No: em2825

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/18501

Publication date: 04 May 2026

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Article Downloads: 8

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How to cite this article

APA

Perera-Rodríguez, V. H. (2026). More than ability: Teachers’ perspectives on how student attitudes shape mathematics achievement. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 22(5), em2825. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/18501

Vancouver

Perera-Rodríguez VH. More than ability: Teachers’ perspectives on how student attitudes shape mathematics achievement. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2026;22(5):em2825. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/18501

AMA

Perera-Rodríguez VH. More than ability: Teachers’ perspectives on how student attitudes shape mathematics achievement. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2026;22(5), em2825. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/18501

Chicago

Perera-Rodríguez, Víctor Hugo. "More than ability: Teachers’ perspectives on how student attitudes shape mathematics achievement". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2026 22 no. 5 (2026): em2825. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/18501

Harvard

Perera-Rodríguez, V. H. (2026). More than ability: Teachers’ perspectives on how student attitudes shape mathematics achievement. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 22(5), em2825. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/18501

MLA

Perera-Rodríguez, Víctor Hugo "More than ability: Teachers’ perspectives on how student attitudes shape mathematics achievement". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 22, no. 5, 2026, em2825. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/18501