Chapter 5: Cultural Differences in Interactions Around Mathematics Tasks in Chinese American and European American Families

The strong mathematics performance of Asian American children in the United States has been well documented (e.g., Caplan, Choy, & Whitmore, 1992; Stevenson, Lee, Chen, Lummis, Stigler, Fan, & Ge, 1990). Recent research studies (e.g., Huntsinger, Jose, Liaw, & Ching, 1997) have found that the phenomenon begins before entry into first grade. Cross-cultural studies have examined differences in cultural values, home language, and parental beliefs and expectations to explain this mathematics achievement (e.g., Chen & Stevenson, 1995; Miller, 1997). Cultural values, beliefs, and expectations are transmitted through what parents actually do with their children. Because early mathematics development is socially and culturally constructed (Ginsburg, Klein, & Starkey, 1998), it is important to examine the Asian American and European American parents’ and children’s behaviors in mathematics-focused interactions. Because the term Asian American encompasses a diverse set of cultures, we have narrowed our focus to Chinese Americans, who represent the largest group of Asian Americans in the United States (Uba, 1994).