Running head: MATHEMATICAL LEARNING METHODS DIFFERENCE

Difference of Mathematical Learning Methods between

Chinese and American High School Students
Yifan Wei
ENGL 106I
Kyongson Park
April 27, 2015
Purdue University

Authors Note
Yifan Wei, freshman, Department of Mathematics, Purdue University
Correspondence of this article should be addressed to Yifan Wei, Department of
Mathematics, West Lafayette, IN 47907.
Contact: wei164@purdue.edu
Abstract
This papers aim is to explore the difference of mathematical learning methods
between Chinese and American high school students. To complete the research, I read

MATHEMATICAL LEARNING METHODS DIFFERENCE

six published journal articles related to mathematical learning methods, and

conducted interviews with two college students who were good at learning math in
their high schools. The conclusion is that American high school students
mathematical learning methods focus on the process of learning math. Chinese high
school students mathematical learning methods focus on getting high scores in math
exams. In terms of learning mathematical knowledge, American high school students
mathematical learning methods are more beneficial to help high school students
learning mathematics.
Key Words: mathematical learning methods, high school students, American,
Chinese.

Difference of Mathematical Learning Methods between

Chinese and American High School Students
As an important implement widely used in commercial trade and scientific
research, mathematics was undoubtedly one of the most important subjects in high
school. To have a good command of mathematics, high school students should
develop approximate ways to help them learn mathematics. These ways were also

MATHEMATICAL LEARNING METHODS DIFFERENCE

called mathematical learning methods, which could be doing many exercises or

spending excessive time studying math. In recent years, more and more Chinese high
school students chose to study abroad in America to finish their high school
education. These international high school students found that the mathematical
learning methods that they developed in China were different from the methods used
by American high school students. Many international high school students from
China performed well in math exams so that they thought Chinese high school
students mathematical learning methods were better than that of American high
school students. In order to understand the difference between the mathematical
learning methods used by American and Chinese high school students, I conducted
two interviews and read several articles related to mathematical learning methods.
I found that Chinese high school students were not creative. (Personal
Interview, 2015) said Letterhos, one of my interviewees. In China, high school
students were assigned by their teachers to do many mathematical exercises every day
(Fuligni & Stevenson, 1995, p.834). The aim of doing these exercises was to help
students memorize the mathematical knowledge in the books, to develop students
skills of finding answers of mathematical exercises, and to help students respond to
mathematical exercises quickly. This kind of mathematical learning methods was
called Rote Learning, which meant memorization by repetition. However, this kind
of practice would restrict students creativity. Though students were able to solve
mathematical problems at an extremely fast speed, they could only deal with same
kinds of exercises that they met before. They could not remain flexible when they
were required to apply mathematics to solve problems in other areas, such as physics
(Wang & Lin, 2005, p.8). Furthermore, Chinese high school students tended to obey
the instruction of their teachers and parents instead of thinking by themselves, which

MATHEMATICAL LEARNING METHODS DIFFERENCE

exacerbated their situation of losing creativities (Stevenson & Chen, 1995, p.11231124). I always tried to find several approaches to solve same exercises with my
classmates. (Personal Interview, 2015) Letterhos said to me when he introduced his
favorite mathematical learning method. This kind of learning method, finding several
approaches to solve same math problems, could cultivate students creativity because
students needed to use their wits to find solutions instead of copying solutions. Many
American high school students also used the same strategies when studying new
mathematical knowledge. Therefore, American high school students mathematical
learning methods could cultivate students creativity.
However, Cohen (1985) argued that Chinese high school students always
performed better than American high school students in math exams. Dillon (2010)
supported that Chinese high school students proved their better mathematical learning
methods by getting high scores in international math tests. But, high scores did not
mean that students had a good command of mathematical knowledge because Chinese
high school students were trained to get high scores in any tests. Wang and Lin (2005)
pointed out that Chinese high school students had high expectation of scores that they
got in the math exams. In China, if high school students wanted to be admitted into
good university, they were expected to receive high scores in college entrance
examinations (CEE). Mathematics score made up a large part of total scores of CEE
so that students always focused on the scores instead of the knowledge that they
retained. On the other hand, parents of Chinese high school students always set high
standards in math for their children, and parents would be angry if their childrens
math scores fell (Hess, Chang & Mcdevitt, 1987, p.185-186). Due to these factors, it
was impossible for Chinese high school students to get low scores in any math exams.
What they paid was the incomplete understanding of the mathematical knowledge that

MATHEMATICAL LEARNING METHODS DIFFERENCE

they learned.
By comparison, American high school students did not focus too much on the
scores that they got in math exams. What mattered to them was the process of
learning mathematics (Fuligni & Stevenson, 1995, p.836). During the process of
learning mathematics, American high school students could get better understanding
and developed better command of mathematical knowledge than Chinese high school
students. I always tried to prove the mathematical theories to help me understand
math theories in depth. (Personal Interview, 2015) another interviewees, Servass,
said to me in the interview.
Mathematics was important for high school students to learn. Approximate
mathematical learning methods could help students learn math well. American high
school students mathematical learning methods focused on the process of learning
math. Students could cultivate their creativity and get profound understanding to
mathematical knowledge that they learned. Chinese high school students
mathematical learning methods focused on getting high scores in math exams.
Students could solve similarly mathematical exercises quickly. Though Chinese high
school students could get extremely high scores in math exams, Chinese high school
students had a smattering of the mathematical knowledge that they retained, and their
creativities were restricted (Wang & Lin, 2005, p.10). Meanwhile, American high
school students could understand mathematical knowledge in depth, thus having a
better command of mathematical knowledge than Chinese high school students.
Therefore, in terms of learning mathematical knowledge, American high school
students mathematical learning methods were more beneficial to help high school
students learning mathematics.

MATHEMATICAL LEARNING METHODS DIFFERENCE

References
Chen, C., & Stevenson, H. W. (1995). Motivation and mathematics achievement: A
comparative study of AsianAmerican, CaucasianAmerican, and East Asian high
school students. Child Development, 66(4), 1215-1234
Cohen, L. P. (1985, January 9). The Chinese-A Way with Mathematics. The New York
Times.
Dillon, S. (2010, February 11). Top Test Scores From Shanghai Stun Educators. The
New York Times.
Fuligni, A. J., & Stevenson, H. W. (1995). Time use and mathematics achievement
among American, Chinese, and Japanese high school students. Child
Development, 66(3), 830-842
Hess, R. D., Chang, C. M., & McDevitt, T. M. (1987). Cultural Variations in Family
Beliefs about Children's Performance in Mathematics: Comparisons among
People's Republic of China, Chinese-American, and Caucasian-American
families. Journal of Educational Psychology, 79(2), 179-188
Letterhos, Z. (2015, February 27). Personal interview.
Servass, C. (2015, February 28). Personal interview.
Wang, J., & Lin, E. (2005). Comparative studies on US and Chinese mathematics

MATHEMATICAL LEARNING METHODS DIFFERENCE

learning and the implications for standards-based mathematics teaching reform.

Educational researcher, 34(5), 3-13