Genes influence intellectual potential, school unleashes it6 reading minutes

There are measurable differences in intelligence. But how they translate into practice depends on other factors.

The original article appeared in German in Schweizer Monat.

With the introduction of compulsory education, societies had to face up to new realities: many children whose parents were illiterate learned to read, write and count effortlessly. Teachers could not ignore the fact that some children from poorer backgrounds found it much easier to learn than a child from a privileged background. At the same time, some children were clearly unable to take advantage of the learning opportunities offered by school. This led to two fundamental conclusions that continue to shape scientific research on intelligence today