Why Do Taiwanese Children Excel at Math?

Abstract

Taiwanese children excel in mathematics, often receiving top scores in international competitions. Fourth graders from Taiwan ranked third on the most recent Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (2007) with only Hong Kong and Singapore scoring higher. Taiwanese 8th graders did even better, ranking first with an average scale score of 598. The average scale score for American 8th graders was 499, slightly below the TIMSS scale average of 500. So, why don't American children perform as well as Asian children on these international tests? Cultural differences Tsao's (2004) study of academic achievement discrepancies in children indicates that both intelligence and the learning environment influence academic achievement. Do these findings suggest that Taiwanese children are inherently more intelligent in mathematical reasoning than American children or that the learning environment in Taiwanese homes and classrooms is more supportive of mathematical learning? Because no scientific evidence indicates that American children are less intelligent than Taiwanese children, the key difference must be the mathematical learning environment, at home and at school. Parents, especially mothers, exert a strong influence on a child's early learning experiences. There is, however, a cultural difference in how Taiwanese mothers and American mothers view the connection between effort, intelligence, and learning. Research suggests that most American mothers believe a child's mathematical performance primarily depends on intelligence and innate math ability; Asian mothers believe effort is more important for academic success (Stevenson, Chen, & Lee, 1993; Stevenson & Lee, 1990; Stevenson, 1992; Stevenson & Stigler, 1992). This difference in maternal perception may affect the learning experiences mothers provide for their young children. In Taiwan, academic achievement is widely believed to hold the promise for a successful future. Taiwan is a small, densely populated island of over 23 million people. As a result, individual beliefs and values tend to be shaped by a socioeconomic context that often encourages competition. In Taiwan, parents, especially mothers, are highly involved in a child's schooling and play a key role in the child's academic achievement (Fejgin, 1995; Zellman & Waterman, 1998). This parental involvement may appear to be very intense, and Western observers often have difficulty comprehending the level of influence and control that Asian parents have on their children from an early age through college. For example, most Taiwanese mothers force their children to participate in after-school tutoring programs to enhance mathematical achievement; in addition, as Taiwanese students prepare for college, they usually select their university and major based on the preference of their parents. Given the cultural differences in parent involvement and competition, it's not surprising that Taiwanese parents approach learning with a sense of urgency and are often viewed as pushing children to learn academic subjects during preschool. Mathematical reasoning is highly valued and encouraged at a young age because it provides a foundation for a broad spectrum of future academic learning (Liu, 2006; Hess, Chang, & McDevitt, 1987). Taiwanese children begin a formal math curriculum in kindergarten. In addition to math instruction in school, over one-fifth of kindergartners receive after-school instruction (Huang, 2010) that usually focuses on preteaching and reteaching concepts and skills that are part of the classroom curriculum. The number of students attending after-school tutoring programs increases as children get older. Even in the United States, research indicates that after-school tutoring provides a significant increase in understanding math concepts, problem solving, computation, and overall math achievement for struggling math students (Lalley & Miller, 2006). …