As for the story problem troubles, it is odd that this is only cropping up with 6th grade math unless curriculums really vary that much across the country?
FWIW, we've had this exact issue with word problems crop up just this year with one of my dds taking *algebra*. (The issue with not understanding how to interpret words meaning +, -, x, /). She's never really loved word problems, but she's a good math student and she's understood word problems up until this year when she was tasked in word problems this year to explain when you add, subtract, etc. The issue cropped up here is related to curriculum, which is wrapped up in common core. It also came up for the first time this year, in Algebra, in a set of curriculum that my kids have used now for 3 courses leading up to Algebra.... soooo... one would think it had come up before but it hadn't lol!
My suggestion is to meet with the teacher to go over what specifically seems to be a challenge for your ds, and to have the teacher explain *how* she expects him to do each type of problem. If it's anything like the math curriculum our kids have had for the past few years, there are very specific "tricks" allegedly designed to make math "easier" to conceptualize which can in fact trip up very bright kids. It's possible your ds absolutely understands how to do something per a parental explanation or a Khan Academy video, but he might not be doing it the same way the teacher expects him to do it.
Best wishes,
polarbear
