The reason that one child excels while another fails is largely his or her innate ability, but good teachers can help, too.
Using twins in the same and different classrooms to examine early literacy achievement, scientists found that classroom effects, including teacher quality, account for 8 percent of their differences in performance.
Researchers add that genetics play a big role, accounting for 70 to 80 percent of the variability in children's reading skills.
They say that by contrast, low quality teaching thwarts a child's reading potential.
