READY TO LEARN: How to Help Your Preschooler Succeed

Goldberg's compassionate, comprehensive manual, geared particularly toward parents of preschoolers with any number of learning delays or disabilities, looks somewhat academic, with its text-heavy layout and frequent charts. But it will be a boon to any parent or caretaker wishing "to learn the fundamentals of teaching children," and a friendly one at that, as Goldberg eschews labels, preferring instead to focus on behaviors. He describes how children process information and outlines basic skills parents must acquire to help children properly handle data. He offers strategies for adults to help develop preschoolers' attention and understanding (e.g., break up complex tasks into smaller steps; use visual information for children whose listening skills are poor), outlines how a child's poor learning skills can affect the emotional well-being of his or her entire family and shares ways to keep family harmony. Although the 11 chapters are dense, each one gives a specific tactic for identifying the personal learning styles of children as young as age two. Goldberg incorporates plenty of examples from his experiences as a university professor (at San Francisco State University), researcher, clinician and parent into the text, and includes diagrams, graphs and graphics to present a thorough, positive guide. By addressing even severe learning problems early, Goldberg explains, learning differences won't keep children from growing up happily to become successful adults. (Feb.)