Features of intelligence

Two of the most important features of intelligence are that it can be applied across all areas of
academic learning (i n this sense it may be described as ‘general thinking’ ability) and that it can
be developed over time (and is therefore ‘educable’). These two features are described below.
Both lie at the heart of most cognitive acceleration programmes.
General thinking ability
People with a well-developed ‘general thinking’ ability are particularly good at making mental
connections. Although they may have a specific talent in one particular area (for example,
number, language or music), an underlying ‘general’ intelligence factor is present. In day-to-day
life, strong general thinking abilities are often indicated by the capacity to:
• see things from a different perspective (for example, a pupil with strong general thinking
abilities will sometimes ask questions that take the teacher by surprise);
• recognise patterns in data;
• transfer knowledge from one context to another;
• go beyond the ‘given’;
• anticipate where an argument is going;
• be creative.
‘Educability’
General thinking ability is not a fixed capacity that can be described once and for all by an
intelligence quotient (‘IO’) score, but one that is educable: it can be developed through
education. Indeed, one of the main functions of schooling is to do just that: to maximise the
intellectual capacity of every child. At this point it is useful to consider the way in which
children’s thinking abilities develop and how these abilities might best be nurtured.

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