Ethnic Differences in Early Math Learning: A Comparison of Chinese-American and Caucasian-American Families.

This study compared Chinese-American and Caucasian-American children and families in order to better understand which cultural and family characteristics, parent beliefs, and parent praci:ices operate at the early childhood level to produce the more uniform high level of math achievement among Asian-American children. Forty second-generation Chinese-American and 40 Caucasian-American preschoolers and kindergartners from well-educated, 2-parent families were given math, name writing, visual discrimination, spatial relation, and vocabulary measures. Parents completed questionnaires, interviews, and a social behaviors checklist. The study found that Chinese-American children outperformed Caucasian-American children on measures of mathematics, spatial relations, visual discrimination, numeral formation, and name writing. Caucasian-American children had higher scores on receptive English vocabulary. Chinese-American parents indicated a stronger belief in the role of hard work and early skill development in academic achievement, gave more direct math instruction, structured their children's time to a greater degree, and reported more encouragement for math-related activities than did Caucasian-American parents. Ethnicity, parents' child-specific attitudes, and directive teaching techniques were the strongest predictors of child math performance, numeral formation, and motor coordination. Six tables showing study data are included. A description of Chinese-American and Caucasian-American parent characteristics is appended. Contains 29 references. (MDM) U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Ed.calionai Flosoorch Sol Impfoveme, EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This doc iment has been reproduced as re:eived from the person or organization onginal.ng it Minor changes have been made to r.nprr ve reproduction quality Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy Early Math 1 Ethnic Differences in Early Math Learning: A Comparison of Chinese-American and Caucasian-American Families Carol S. Huntsinger College of Lake County Paul E. Jose PERMISSION 10 REPRODUCE THIS Loyola University of Chicago MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY Wei-Di Ching __Car_Q_L$ College of Lake County SW\ RS TO THE ECli,:ATIONAL RESOURCE:: INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC1 Paper presented at the Twenty-Fourth Annual Symposium of the Jean Piaget Society in Chicago, June 2 June 4, 1994. Running head: ETHNIC DIFFERENCES IN EARLY MATH LEARNING Author Notes The data collection was supported in part by a grant from the Professional Growth Commission of the College of Lake County. Gratitude is expressed to Marlette Sims, Allison Holland, Todd Kinney, Alice Davis, Prudence Runkle, Sharon Murphy, and Jeanne Plattner for coding and rating data; to Scott Tindale for statistical advice; to the principals, directors, and teachers who supported recruitment of our samples; and to the parents and children who so willingly participated. Requests for reprints may be directed to Carol S. Huntsinger, Social Science Division, College of Lake County, Grayslake, IL 60030.