There are different types of intelligence…

Douglas Silas,
Specialist SEN Solicitor
31st January 2022

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In this week's SEN Update (apart from my: 'Thought Of The Week'), you will find sections entitled:
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• SEN NEWS
  
• NEWS ONLINE
  
• ​USEFUL INFORMATION​​​

​I know how busy everyone always is, so please feel free just to read the sections that are of interest to you or read everything; the choice is always yours.

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK
Unfortunately, many people tend to think that there is only one type of intelligence in life - IQ, which stands for and is measured by ‘Intelligence Quotient’. However, there are actually two main types of intelligence, as the other is EQ - which stands for and is measured by ‘Emotional Quotient’. 

IQ is the type of intellectual or academic intelligence which makes people seem clever to us. Although having a high IQ is usually an indicator that someone has more chance of getting somewhere in life, I have found that, in fact, you need to be intelligent both intellectually and emotionally, to get by properly. Intellectual intelligence is not the same as emotional intelligence. 

Emotional intelligence is often defined as having an ability to perceive, use, understand, manage and handle emotions. People with a high EQ recognise their own emotions, as well as those in others. They also use emotional information to guide their thinking and behaviour, or to distinguish between different feelings and can adjust their emotions to adapt to differing environments or people.

Think about it, if an average IQ is 100, a high IQ is 120 and a low IQ is 80, if we  then say that an average EQ is 100, a high EQ is 120 and a low EQ is 80, we then find that, although somebody with a high IQ of 120 may seem more advanced, if they have a low EQ of 80, their average is 100 and the same thing goes for somebody with a high EQ and low IQ - they both come out as just average.

The trick is to not only have one sort of intelligence of IQ, but to try and have both a high IQ and EQ, so that you are more balanced. In fact, if you extrapolate that, to be successful both intellectually (academically) and emotionally (functionally), you can have just a slightly higher IQ and EQ, as your average of both may then be higher, as only being strong in one may even sometimes hold you back a bit.

Also, I have seen that people with a high IQ often (usually unconsciously) make other people around them feel bad about themselves, as others feel intimidated, or even stupid around them.  However, people with a high EQ often make other people around them feel good about themselves, by being positive, or pointing out things that they have noticed in them that they themselves may not have noticed.

And sorry to be scrambling a bit with your brain this week, but there are actually three more types of intelligence that you need to be aware of: ‘Practical’, ‘Creative’, and ‘Analytical’.

Practical intelligence is an ability to deal with daily tasks in the real world and is often compared to being “streetwise’. Being practical means you find solutions in everyday life using knowledge based on experiences. Like when successful people who have dropped out of school/college say that, although they do not have academic qualifications, they have got a degree from the ‘University of Life’

Creative intelligence is an ability to solve problems by imagining new and unique solutions. It is associated with people who have a knack for storytelling, art, and developing new ideas, or the ability to deal with new and unusual situations. . For example, creative intelligence would be involved when using your imagination to write a story, paint, or create something else.

Analytical intelligence refers to a person's ability to problem-solve, perform academic tasks, process information, and employ abstract reasoning. I guess it is similar to IQ, as it refers to the ability to complete academic and traditional intelligence tests. However, it is slightly different.

Think of it like this:

1) Intellectual intelligence: your ability to learn academically;
2) Emotional intelligence: your ability to understand and use feelings;
3) Practical intelligence: your ability to function in the real world;
4) Creative intelligence: your ability to come up with new ideas.;
5) Analytical intelligence: your ability to evaluate and solve problems. 

So, this week, look at people again and don’t only see them as intelligent intellectually, but also emotionally, practically, creatively or analytically. You may be surprised when you reframe things, as people you thought clever intellectually, may be not intelligent in other ways, but someone you thought not clever intellectually, may be quite intelligent in other ways!

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​SEN NEWS
Nothing really for me to report on in SEN News this time.

I really struggle sometimes to find things that are worthy of bringing to people's attention, as I do not want to unnecessarily take up their precious time with something, just for the sake of it, so please forgive me not highlighting anything here this week.

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NEWS ONLINE
In terms of news, here are the articles that I found of interest this week:

One in eight pupils out of school as Covid worsens
Up to 10,000 pupils in England missed whole autumn term last year, analysis finds

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USEFUL INFORMATION
Again, aside from clicking on the relevant links for more information, I would also remind you of the very useful resources and information provided on the following websites:
 
- IPSEA
- Council for Disabled Children
- Special Needs Jungle

I would also highlight again the magazines: SEN Magazine and Autism Eye which are both very helpful to any parents or professionals involved with children/young people with SEN.
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With best wishes
 
Douglas

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