Rachel Riley warns parents against phrase that's causing 'huge numeracy problem'

14 August 2023 , 12:51

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Rachel Riley warns parents against phrase that's causing 'huge numeracy problem'

Rachel Riley has warned parents against having an 'anti maths' attitude, which she claims is causing a huge numeracy problem among children.

The mum-of-two, 37, has a Masters in maths from Cambridge University and has been dishing out the numbers of Countdown since she was 22. But Rachel reckons by saying: "I can't do maths", we're encouraging the younger generation to feel fear surrounding the subject.

Suggesting we change the narrative, she said: "I think it's really important to be positive about it in the same way you wouldn't proudly say, 'I can't read,' don't say, 'I can't do maths,' it's just, 'I can't do it yet'. Even if you're going in and trying to help your kids, over the pandemic more people were having to do more maths to a higher level than they did before, as they were helping their kids for obvious reasons. You can go back and learn it together and if you're asking questions, great, it's a learning opportunity."

Rachel Riley has been dishing out the numbers on Countdown since she was 22 (Channel 4)

Rachel told the Spinning Plates podcast, the UK is struggling with maths in a big way, admitting: "We do have a problem in the UK with numeracy - 50 per cent of adults are at the level you'd expect of an 11-year-old. Again, it's lower for women. And we're passing on negative feelings and fear of it to kids and I think we need to change the way we speak about it, change the attitude and not be scared of it and not feel intimidated and just give it a go."

The Strictly Come Dancing star, who shares daughters Maven, three, and one-year-old Noa with professional dancer Pasha Kovalev, wants to give maths a makeover in the same way D:rEAM star Professor Brian Cox has made science 'sexy.'

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Insisting maths shouldn't be seen as 'geeky', Rachel, who is a supporter of National Numeracy, a charity promoting growth mindset about maths, said: 'The world has changed so much, you know that if you go into science, technology, engineering, maths, you're going to get a job and potentially the job you're going to get if you're a student doesn't even exist yet but you're going to be employable."

As a mum of two daughters, Rachel concluded that "Statistically, girls are more susceptible to outside influences" adding: "So, if you tell a girl, 'You're not good at maths,' especially at a young age, or anyone really, they implant that and they start to believe it and perpetuate it."

In 2021, the Countdown queen released her book, At Sixes and Sevens, which promises to 'make maths easy' by 'understanding numbers'. The guide focuses on a range of mathematical milestones, including long division, fractions and percentages.

Victoria Johns