The study builds on ethnographic research noting an emphasis in many Indigenous communities of the Americas on learning through keen observation of and participation in ongoing community activities. Forty-four U.S. Mexican-heritage 5- to 11-year-old children whose families likely have experience with Indigenous ways more frequently attended to and learned from a toy construction activity that was directed to another child, compared to 36 U.S. Mexican-heritage children whose mothers had extensive experience with Western school (and related European American practices). The results support the idea that children whose family history emanates from Indigenous communities of México may be especially oriented to learning by observing ongoing events, and that this method of learning may be less commonly used by children whose families have extensive experience with schooling (and related Western practices).

This article examines and contrasts two distinct patterns of assisting children's learning that relate to adults' participation in different cultural practices: strategies to control children's attention and motivation versus supportive guidance including children's initiative. We report case studies of the instructional approaches taken by 4 research assistants who were asked to follow a script to casually demonstrate how to make an object, leaving room for children's initiative. The 2 research assistants who were bilingual European American elementary school teachers attempted to control the children's attention, motivation, and behavior in accord with accepted pedagogical practice - calling children's attention, controlling children's pace and keeping them on task using extensive step-by-step explanation, and evaluating the children's efforts with praise - even when they were trying not to, in order to follow the script. In contrast, the 2 bilingual Mexican-heritage research assistants guided the children with support for their initiative, in line with the cultural tradition of Learning by Observing and Pitching In to family and community endeavors, allowing the children to take initiative in managing their own attention, adjusting the pace of instruction collaboratively, using subtle nonverbal cues, and giving feedback without praise. We discuss the resilience of cultural approaches to supporting learning and encourage expanding repertoires of practice.

To conclude this special issue of Human Development on Learning by Observing and Pitching In to family and community endeavors (LOPI), we argue that everyone can benefit from learning to do things in more than one way, expanding our repertoires of practice. We examine potential developmental benefits for children's collaborative initiative, alertness, and skills in perspective-taking, self-regulation, and planning, in addition to acquiring particular information and skills. To deepen our understanding of the processes involved in LOPI, we discuss further research to investigate suggestions that LOPI may routinely involve: a calm measured pace; articulate nonverbal conversation and parsimonious verbal conversation that build on shared endeavors; encouragement of appropriate behavior through narrative approaches; and assessment in support of learning to contribute to shared productive endeavors. We conclude by recommending a wider use of LOPI and argue that this way of supporting learning involves sophisticated community and individual efforts and organization.

Valued cultural practices of marginalized communities are often critiqued by dominant cultural communities. In this study, US Mexican-heritage mothers who had experience in Indigenous ways (and limited schooling and parenting classes) espoused<i> instructional ribbing –</i>a cultural practice involving indirectly guiding children’s behavior through mock threats or lighthearted teasing to help them see how their misbehavior impacts others – as a positive, familiar practice that encourages active learning. However, European American mothers were very critical. Indications of cultural change came from US Mexican-heritage mothers with experience in two cultural systems – Western schooling/parenting classes and Indigenous ways. Half viewed instructional ribbing positively, and half were negative and often referred to what they learned in parenting classes as a source of their change from prior generations. The value of instructional ribbing in some communities may be undermined by experience in dominant cultural systems where its familial and communal value and supports are not understood.

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