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Clever in life, weak at school

Quick with sums at the market and able to fix any gadget, yet bringing home low marks? Practical intelligence is real intelligence: find the cause of the gap and turn strengths into a bridge to lessons.

What you may notice

  • They're quick and resourceful at trading, repairs and chores, but can't do the same operations in an exercise book.
  • They chat easily with adults, yet stay silent in class or say 'I don't know'.
  • They pick up anything shown in practice but turn away from long texts and written tasks.
  • They say, 'These lessons are no use in real life.'
  • Their marks vary a lot from subject to subject and from teacher to teacher.

The rest of this guide is for subscribers

Possible reasons, step-by-step actions, what to avoid, how to use your child's strengths, and when to see a specialist.