Helping Without Being Asked as a Cultural Strength of Latine Students: Supporting Learning in Individualistic Classrooms

• In Event: Children’s strengths for learning and communication in LOPI, in Indigenous-heritage communities of the Americas

Abstract

Are there cultural differences in helping between Latine and European American college students working in small groups? College coursework often prioritizes individual achievement, which can discourage collaboration. Such approaches may overlook the experiences of students from Indigenous Latine communities, where group engagement and shared responsibility are common. This study examines how Latine and European American college students work during small-group problem-solving tasks. Helping without being asked (acomedirse) is a central value in many Latine communities (Alcalá et al., 2014; López-Fraire et al., 2012, 2024; Rogoff et al., 2014). Using analysis of video-recorded collaborative puzzle tasks, we coded helping practices. Latine students closely attended to peers’ needs and offered help proactively, whereas European American students more often waited for explicit requests.

Authors

• Amanda Maria Lopez, California State University, Sacramento

• Itzel Aceves-Azuara, California State University - Sacramento