In other words, if a teacher only teaches in one way, then they conclude that the kids who can’t learn well that way don’t have the ability, when, in fact, it may be that the way the teacher’s teaching is not a particularly good match to the way those kids learn.

Sternberg is criticizing a common educational error: treating a single preferred method of instruction as the standard by which “ability” is judged. If teaching is narrowly delivered (one modality, one kind of task, one pace), students whose strengths lie elsewhere can appear weak—not because they lack intelligence, but because the instructional format fails to connect with how they process and demonstrate understanding. The quote aligns with Sternberg’s broader work on intelligence as multifaceted and context-sensitive (e.g., analytic, creative, practical strengths) and implies an ethical and practical obligation for educators to diversify instruction and assessment before concluding that students are incapable.