Talents Unlimited is an approach to instruction that nurtures the development of talents in areas other than the traditional academic subjects. To help children learn basics, the approach makes use of thinking, communication, decision-making, planning, and forecasting skills in teaching academic subjects. Twenty second grade students participating in the program experienced at least two activities per week. The control group consisted of 115 similarly typed students. Both groups were from a small town/rural area in Michigan. Comparisions were made of (1) participants' scores on a teacher-made pretest and posttest of self-concept and scores of 115 comparable control students, and (2) the self-concepts of low versus high academic achievers. Results indicated that the treatment group had greater academic self-concept gains than did the control group and less of a deficit than the control group in social self-concept. The program thus was found to be more effective for low academic achievers than for high academic achievers. (Appendices provide 42 lesson plans and instruments used in the study, self assessment surveys for students, and questionnaires for teachers.) (Author/RH)