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What is this research project about?
Transforming Secondary Mathematics Learning through Storytelling is an ambitious research project explores whether creating mathematical story picture books can improve Year 9 students’ (aged 13-14) understanding of key concepts, boost confidence, and reduce mathematics anxiety. Moving beyond traditional worksheets and textbooks, the study invites students to explain, visualise, and contextualise mathematics through creative storytelling - placing meaning-making at the heart of learning.
In this study, this pedagogical approach is applied specifically to support students’ learning of Pythagoras’ theorem and trigonometry. These topics were deliberately selected because they are foundational within the Key Stage 3–4 curriculum, frequently reported by students as conceptually challenging.
The project (2025–2028) is funded by The Leverhulme Trust and is a collaboration between the University of Reading, the University of Cambridge, and the UCL Institute of Education.
The project has received formal ethical approval from the University of Reading’s Institute of Education Ethics Committee in February 2026
In this study, this pedagogical approach is applied specifically to support students’ learning of Pythagoras’ theorem and trigonometry. These topics were deliberately selected because they are foundational within the Key Stage 3–4 curriculum, frequently reported by students as conceptually challenging.
The project (2025–2028) is funded by The Leverhulme Trust and is a collaboration between the University of Reading, the University of Cambridge, and the UCL Institute of Education.
The project has received formal ethical approval from the University of Reading’s Institute of Education Ethics Committee in February 2026
Examples of mathematical story picture books created by students
The examples below are drawn from the annual Young Mathematical Story Authors (YMSA) competition, organised by Dr. Natthapoj Vincent Trakulphadetkrai's non-profit MathsThroughStories.org initiative. Since its launch in 2019, the competition has received over 5,000 student entries from more than 30 countries, inviting young people worldwide to bring mathematical ideas to life through storytelling.
Click here to read 'Leicester The Cheese Tester' by Sophie Kelland (12 years old) at Townley Grammar School (UK) - Pythagoras’ theorem |
Click here to read 'Right Angle, Right Answer!’ by Aalya Gupta (12 years old) at Taipei European School (Taiwan) - Pythagoras’ theorem |
Click here to read ‘Buffy's Mathematical Adventure of Pythagorean’ by Niyati Patel (13 years old) at Pinewood Public School (Canada) - Pythagoras’ theorem |
Click here to read 'Whale's Oceania Odyssey' by Gisele Chong (14 years old) at Macleans College (New Zealand) - Trigonometry |
Potential benefits of our research
This project aims to generate robust evidence on an innovative, creative approach to secondary mathematics teaching that places students’ meaning-making, communication, and imagination at the centre of learning.
For students, it has the potential to deepen conceptual understanding of key mathematical topics, strengthen confidence, and reduce mathematics anxiety by encouraging explanation, visual representation, and real-world connections through storytelling.
For teachers and schools, the study offers practical insights into how mathematical storytelling can be embedded within existing curricula, including what supports effective implementation and how students of different attainment levels respond.
More broadly, the findings will contribute much-needed large-scale evidence on creative pedagogies in secondary mathematics - an area that remains under-researched. By combining rigorous quantitative outcomes with rich qualitative perspectives from teachers and students, the project seeks to inform classroom practice, teacher education, and policy discussions about how mathematics can be taught in more engaging, inclusive, and emotionally supportive ways.
For students, it has the potential to deepen conceptual understanding of key mathematical topics, strengthen confidence, and reduce mathematics anxiety by encouraging explanation, visual representation, and real-world connections through storytelling.
For teachers and schools, the study offers practical insights into how mathematical storytelling can be embedded within existing curricula, including what supports effective implementation and how students of different attainment levels respond.
More broadly, the findings will contribute much-needed large-scale evidence on creative pedagogies in secondary mathematics - an area that remains under-researched. By combining rigorous quantitative outcomes with rich qualitative perspectives from teachers and students, the project seeks to inform classroom practice, teacher education, and policy discussions about how mathematics can be taught in more engaging, inclusive, and emotionally supportive ways.
Research team
Dr. Natthapoj Vincent Trakulphadetkrai
(Associate Professor of Mathematics Education, University of Reading & Founder of MathsThroughStories.org) Principal Investigator |
Dr. Ros McLellan
(Associate Professor of Pedagogical Innovation, University of Cambridge) Co-Investigator |
Dr. Flávia H. Santos
(Lecturer in Cognitive Developmental Psychology, UCL Institute of Education, University of London) Co-Investigator |
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Teacher advisory panel
Our Teacher Advisory Group brings together experienced secondary mathematics teachers to help shape the project’s design, implementation, and interpretation of findings. Their classroom expertise ensures that the research remains grounded in real-world practice and responsive to the needs of both teachers and students.
Members are listed alphabetically by their first name.
Members are listed alphabetically by their first name.
Jack Alcock
(Head of Maths at Cranbury College, Reading & Lead Practitioner for Research and Innovation at Maiden Erlegh Trust) |
Jo Walker
(Maths Hub Lead, Bucks, Berks and Oxon Maths Hub) |
Natasha Clark
(Head of Mathematics, St Paul's Catholic School, Milton Keynes) |
Neil Pouney
(Maths Curriculum Lead, The Blue Coat School, Basingstoke) |
Research design
Working with around 20 state-funded secondary schools across the South East of England, the project adopts a randomised controlled trial design, with schools allocated to either an intervention group or a control group.
Over a four-week period (typically three mathematics lessons per week), all participating Year 9 classes (across the two groups) follow the same 12-lesson unit on Pythagoras’ theorem (Weeks 1–2) and trigonometry (Weeks 3–4). In each two-week block, intervention students work collaboratively in pairs for two full lessons to create a short mathematical story picture book linked to the topic being taught (one topic per story), while control students also work in pairs for additional practice through business-as-usual activities, such as worksheets and textbooks. (These are represented by the orange stars below.)
Over a four-week period (typically three mathematics lessons per week), all participating Year 9 classes (across the two groups) follow the same 12-lesson unit on Pythagoras’ theorem (Weeks 1–2) and trigonometry (Weeks 3–4). In each two-week block, intervention students work collaboratively in pairs for two full lessons to create a short mathematical story picture book linked to the topic being taught (one topic per story), while control students also work in pairs for additional practice through business-as-usual activities, such as worksheets and textbooks. (These are represented by the orange stars below.)
Students complete questionnaires and mathematics assessments at three timepoints (pre-test, post-test, and delayed post-test three months later) to measure changes in attainment, attitudes, self-efficacy, and mathematics anxiety.
To complement these quantitative outcomes, selected teachers and students also take part in interviews, providing rich insights into classroom experiences, engagement, and the practical feasibility of implementing mathematical storytelling in real-world school settings.
Timeline
March 2026 Recruiting schools for the Pilot Study
May - July 2026 Data collection for the Pilot Study (and Recruiting schools for the Main Study)
February - April 2027 Data collection for the Main Study
May - July 2026 Data collection for the Pilot Study (and Recruiting schools for the Main Study)
February - April 2027 Data collection for the Main Study
Expression of interest & Enquiries
If you are interested in taking part in this study or would like to learn more about it, please contact Dr. Trakulphadetkrai directly at [email protected].
