ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of keyconcepts discussed n the subsequent chapters of this book. To educate effectively people need to give attention to these individual differences. It also indicates that they have to be careful in making sure they do understand children's thinking at any stage. It is useful, since the topic is so controversial, to reconsider how psychologists have thought about intelligence, since the end of the last century up to the present time; and how the much criticized tests of intelligence have been developed. Here therefore they begin with a survey of thinking about intelligence and intelligence tests, and an outline of a new concept of intelligence. Moving to studies of children's development of thinking, they have a discussion of the abilities that children bring to the early years of schooling. Combining interests in environment and heredity, they then have a chapter on the effects of social and physical factors on children's ability and school performance.
