Many students struggle with maths, not because they lack ability, but because certain topics demand deeper understanding and flexible thinking. As learning progresses, questions become more complex, linking multiple concepts and requiring reasoning. Consequently, areas such as percentages, algebra, and fractions often emerge as common obstacles. 

By recognising these challenges, educators and tutors can better identify students’ pain points, tailor their lessons accordingly and attract learners seeking targeted support. 

1. Overcoming the Percentage Problem

Percentages often confuse learners because they combine numerical operations with real-world interpretation. While finding a percentage of a value may feel manageable, difficulties quickly arise when the process needs to be reversed. 

For example, when a price is reduced by a percentage, students often assume the final amount represents the original value. In reality, it reflects what remains after the reduction. This misconception stops them from recognising the need to divide by the correct scale factor, showing that true understanding is far more important than relying on memorised procedures.

2. Decoding Algebraic Abstractions

Besides percentage-related difficulties, algebra is one of the hardest concepts in maths, as students must work with symbols rather than fixed values. 

To begin with, simplifying expressions can feel overwhelming when like terms are not easily recognised or when multiple operations appear together. Moreover, translating unfamiliar situations, such as comparing two quantities that change over time or solving age-based problems into clear equations, often proves demanding, as learners must identify relationships before applying any rules.

Without this structural understanding, algebra can seem abstract and disconnected, rather than a logical way to represent patterns and solve problems.

3. Bridging Fractions and Decimals

Just like algebra, fractions and decimals pose challenges when students move beyond visual aids towards abstract estimation. Although concrete models, such as shaded parts, provide early support, accurately placing fractional values on a number line requires a clear understanding of proportion. 

Thus, many learners find it difficult to judge relative size without physical references. Developing this skill depends on strengthening number sense, enabling students to compare magnitudes confidently rather than relying solely on familiar representations.

Root Causes of Mathematical Difficulty

While specific topics or questions may appear difficult, deeper factors often influence why students continue to struggle with maths. 

1. Emotional Barriers

Maths anxiety commonly triggers feelings of stress, fear, or tension when students encounter numbers or problem-solving topics. Over time, this reaction can intensify, causing most of the learners to panic or feel incapable before attempting a solution. 

2. Issues with Sustained Concentration

In addition to emotional challenges, maintaining focus is equally demanding. 

For instance, many maths questions involve several interconnected steps that must be followed carefully in sequence. Losing concentration midway through solving such questions can lead to errors or incomplete solutions. 

3. Insufficient Practice and Perseverance

A lack of patience also affects progress in maths. Students may rush through exercises without fully grasping the reasoning behind each step, prioritising speed over understanding. 

Plus, many learners disengage when problems appear difficult. This tendency to give up early prevents the gradual improvement that comes from persistence and reflection.

4. Rote Memorisation Over Deep Conceptual Grasp

Just as a lack of patience can restrict learning, overreliance on memorisation can do the same. While students might recall maths formulas or procedures accurately, they often struggle to explain why those methods work. 

Without conceptual clarity, applying knowledge to unfamiliar situations becomes challenging. Therefore, rote learning limits flexibility and weakens long-term retention across interconnected topics.

5. Gaps in Foundational Knowledge

Maths follows a cumulative structure, where each new concept depends on prior understanding. When foundational areas such as basic arithmetic are insecure, advancing to topics like algebra becomes significantly harder for some students. 

Optimising Maths Tutoring Services to Attract Students with Specific Learning Needs

Having identified the common challenges and their underlying causes, the next step is to align your tutoring services with these precise concerns.

Offer a Free Diagnostic Session

To begin with, a complimentary initial session can ease apprehension and establish trust from the outset. This diagnostic meeting or short assessment helps identify foundational weaknesses and reduce anxiety by shifting the focus away from immediate performance. 

Instead of teaching straight away, the emphasis should be on understanding the learner’s difficulties, learning habits, and objectives, creating a clear starting point for future progress.

Create Niche Service Packages

After identifying the learner’s specific challenges, tailored programmes can be developed to address targeted problem areas. By designing structured packages focused on commonly difficult topics or exam-related demands, as a math tutors you can communicate clear value to prospective clients. 

These specialised offerings signal expertise, helping families quickly recognise that the service is designed to meet their child’s exact needs rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

Showcase Unique Teaching Style

The next step is to highlight your distinctive teaching approach. Clearly outlining a teaching philosophy, such as encouraging curiosity or simplifying complex ideas through practical examples, helps differentiate your service from your competitors.

This transparency reassures clients that lessons will tackle abstract thinking in an approachable way and support confidence-building, particularly for those affected by maths-related anxiety.

Leverage Online Flexibility and Tools

To extend the impact of your teaching style, take advantage of online tools and platforms to reach students wherever they are, removing geographical constraints. By incorporating virtual tools such as interactive whiteboards, complex ideas can be illustrated clearly through visual aids like bar models or diagrams. 

This approach makes abstract concepts more tangible and enables learners to practise and engage from any location, ensuring continuity and convenience without compromising the quality of instruction.

Use Testimonials for Trust

Sharing authentic feedback strengthens credibility. Testimonials from maths students who have overcome similar struggles, whether anxiety-driven or topic-specific, provide reassurance to potential clients. These success stories illustrate real outcomes, reinforcing trust and demonstrating that your approach delivers lasting improvement.

Connect with Students Effortlessly Through Connextion

Finding potential students can often be hard for maths tutors, as visibility and outreach require time and resources. Connextion simplifies this process by providing a free platform where private or online tutors in Singapore can gain exposure and connect with clients, increasing their revenue. 

Simply create an account and showcase your portfolio to highlight your expertise. Next, set your own rates, and once your profile is complete, interested clients can start engaging with you directly. 

Ready to grow your business? Sign up on Connextion today and connect with students who need your expertise!