Reading is the single most important skill children learn in school.
The Countdown to Kindergarten program, developed with the support of Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities, Inc., Dr. Margie B. Gillis of Literacy How, and Dr. Judy Grossman, has been designed to help parents ensure that their child enters kindergarten ready to read and ready to learn.
In Countdown to Kindergarten, we play with the sounds in words (rhyming and initial sounds) as well as letter names and sounds. Children should enter kindergarten with experience in carrying on conversations and be familiar with how books work. The ability of a child to do well in school also is dependent on their social-emotional skills. This includes learning to name their feelings and managing their emotions.
The books in this guide support the concepts of the Countdown to Kindergarten program.
More information about Countdown to Kindergarten can be found at https://countdown2kindergarten.org/
Margie B. Gillis, Ed.D is a nationally renowned literacy expert and a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) specializing in reading and addressing reading challenges. She is the founder and president of Literacy How, a non-profit organization that trains administrators and teachers in research-based reading instruction. Dr. Gillis is also an affiliate of the Haskins Global Literacy Hub at the Yale Child Study Center, and a member of the Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities® Professional Advisory Board.
Judy Grossman, DrPH, OTR is the Associate Director of the Center for the Developing Child and Family at the Ackerman Institute for the Family. She is also an adjunct faculty member at NYU and consultant to community agencies regarding family resilience, mental health consultation, and preschool children with disabilities. Dr. Grossman is a member of the Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities® Board of Directors, Professional Advisory Board, and Chair of the C2K Program Committee.
