Genes may not completely influence the academic performance of children, as they do not give the whole story. While researchers believe that the genetic makeup does have an influence on the academics, the extent of influence is debatable.

There are other factors, such as the environmental factors that play a role in the academic performance.  Proper remediation techniques, when employed, by using a well-designed remediation procedure, help students perform better, even if the genetic factors act against it.

Studies have been conducted on twin children, from different countries such as Australia, USA, the UK, Europe, Asia, and Africa, with literacy and numeracy being the core areas to be assessed.

These studies have revealed that genetic influence varies in a broad range, from around 50% to around 80%. However, not much is known about technical and creative subjects.

The studies also analyzed the environmental influence on the groups of twin children. Factors such as the socioeconomic status and the types of schools are a minor influence. But adverse environmental circumstances may affect the academic achievement in children quite drastically.

The role of teachers is also important in the big picture, but teacher differences do not have a role in the student literacy performance.

According to researchers, Brian Byrne and Richard Olson, the need of the day is a systematic understanding of the genetic factors and scientifically grounded interventions, which can make a difference in the academic performance of students.

Helen Santoro

Helen Santoro is a Boston-based science writer who has been working in the field of science for over six years. Before moving to the bustling city, Helen attended Hamilton College where he received Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience. She then worked as a res archer at Boston Children’s Hospital where she helped uncover the mechanisms behind acute and chronic pain conditions with the long-term goal of improving patient care. Her writing has spanned from genome engineering to biochemistry to gender issues in the STEMM field.