Giftedness in Every Child: Unlocking Your Child's Unique Talents, Strengths, and Potentials

In this book, aimed at parents of so-called average children, the authors contend that all children have talents and abilities that need nurturing. What Treffinger and the Dunns term ""unlocking giftedness"" could also be called good parenting. As they stress, every child learns differently; the challenge is to recognize how so, and plan accordingly. The book offers much information on such evaluation, as well as games and techniques designed to draw out a child's ideas and encourage the growth of imagination and self-esteem. The authors also offer checklists of criteria for assessing TV programs, school curricula and a child's developmental progress. One drawback: aswim in such information, readers may feel confused. Also an impediment is jargon--e.g., ""tactual children""--which may be off-putting for some. Careful perusal, however, will reward. Rita Dunn is director of the Center for the Study of Learning and Teaching Styles at St. John's University in New York; Kenneth Dunn is coordinator of Administration and Supervision Programs at Queens College, New York; Donald Treffinger is a professor of education and director of the Center for Creative Learning at the State University of New York, Buffalo. Author tour. (Feb.)