Examined academic achievement under a cultural motivational framework. Asian American students' performance in mathematics was found to be between that of Chinese and Japanese students and that of Caucasian Americans. Suggests that academic achievement reflects a cultural heritage that emphasizes education and the ability of all persons to benefit…

American students perform poorly in mathematics compared to their peers in other countries, especially Japan and China. This article examines underlying causes for these deficiencies, including American complacency (in contrast to Asian diligence) and differing educational practices and expectation levels. Includes four references. (MLH)

Recent calls for educational reform have focused on secondary schools, but results emerging from a cross-national study suggest that the reasons for American students' achievement problems lie not only in American schools but also in American homes. In the study, American, Taiwanese, and Japanese first and fifth graders were tested in reading and…