Cultural values have a big impact on how children think and learn. They can change when and how kids reach important learning goals. By looking at different cultures, we can see several ways culture affects a child's growth.
Kids can learn memory, problem-solving, and language skills differently based on their culture.
In Western cultures, children usually learn in structured schools that focus on individual learning and analytical skills.
On the other hand, in collectivist cultures, kids might learn more through group activities and stories, which highlight relationships and understanding through context.
Research shows that children from different cultures might reach learning goals at different times.
For example:
Language Skills: Some studies, like those from C. Fernyhough (2016), found that kids in East Asian cultures start speaking later than kids in Western countries. In places like Hong Kong, children usually say their first words around 12-15 months, while in the United States, it's often by 10-14 months.
Math Skills: Kids from East Asia, like Japan and China, often do better in math than American kids. A study from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP, 2015) showed that only 24% of U.S. fourth graders reached a proficient level in math, while about 50% of fourth graders in Singapore did.
How a culture views learning and intelligence can change how children develop their thinking skills.
A study by Chiu and others in 1997 showed that East Asian students often believe that hard work leads to success, while U.S. students might think natural ability is more important. This can create differences in motivation, persistence, and learning outcomes.
Cultural values also affect how kids interact and learn with each other. In many collectivist cultures:
Working Together: Children often learn better when they work together. For example, a study in Kenya found that group activities helped improve problem-solving skills more than individual work (Miller et al., 2016).
Watching and Imitating: In contrast, Western education focuses more on learning by watching and listening in structured settings. This difference can lead to various learning results.
The way parents raise their kids can be influenced by cultural values, which then affects how children think and learn.
The stories and traditions in a culture also shape how children develop their thinking skills.
In Indigenous cultures, storytelling helps kids build memory and speaking skills. Researchers found that Indigenous Australian children are good at telling stories, which can help them succeed academically in societies that value reading and writing (Dusseldorp et al., 2014).
To sum it up, cultural values significantly affect how children learn and develop by influencing their learning timeline, styles, social expectations, and how parents help them. Understanding these differences is important for educators and psychologists. We need to create learning strategies that respect and fit the different ways children think and learn in their unique cultural backgrounds.
Cultural values have a big impact on how children think and learn. They can change when and how kids reach important learning goals. By looking at different cultures, we can see several ways culture affects a child's growth.
Kids can learn memory, problem-solving, and language skills differently based on their culture.
In Western cultures, children usually learn in structured schools that focus on individual learning and analytical skills.
On the other hand, in collectivist cultures, kids might learn more through group activities and stories, which highlight relationships and understanding through context.
Research shows that children from different cultures might reach learning goals at different times.
For example:
Language Skills: Some studies, like those from C. Fernyhough (2016), found that kids in East Asian cultures start speaking later than kids in Western countries. In places like Hong Kong, children usually say their first words around 12-15 months, while in the United States, it's often by 10-14 months.
Math Skills: Kids from East Asia, like Japan and China, often do better in math than American kids. A study from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP, 2015) showed that only 24% of U.S. fourth graders reached a proficient level in math, while about 50% of fourth graders in Singapore did.
How a culture views learning and intelligence can change how children develop their thinking skills.
A study by Chiu and others in 1997 showed that East Asian students often believe that hard work leads to success, while U.S. students might think natural ability is more important. This can create differences in motivation, persistence, and learning outcomes.
Cultural values also affect how kids interact and learn with each other. In many collectivist cultures:
Working Together: Children often learn better when they work together. For example, a study in Kenya found that group activities helped improve problem-solving skills more than individual work (Miller et al., 2016).
Watching and Imitating: In contrast, Western education focuses more on learning by watching and listening in structured settings. This difference can lead to various learning results.
The way parents raise their kids can be influenced by cultural values, which then affects how children think and learn.
The stories and traditions in a culture also shape how children develop their thinking skills.
In Indigenous cultures, storytelling helps kids build memory and speaking skills. Researchers found that Indigenous Australian children are good at telling stories, which can help them succeed academically in societies that value reading and writing (Dusseldorp et al., 2014).
To sum it up, cultural values significantly affect how children learn and develop by influencing their learning timeline, styles, social expectations, and how parents help them. Understanding these differences is important for educators and psychologists. We need to create learning strategies that respect and fit the different ways children think and learn in their unique cultural backgrounds.