Using Sound Boxes Systematically to Develop Phonemic Awareness (McCarthy, 2008)

Phonemic Awareness and the Role of Sound Boxes

• Phonological processing skills are strongly related to reading and spelling in alphabetic languages; evidence from research and meta-analyses.
• Phonemic awareness is a key component: understanding and manipulating the individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. It, along with letter knowledge, is essential for beginners to move into reading and spelling.
• Phonemic awareness generally develops through literacy experiences at home and in kindergarten classrooms; some children need kinesthetic support to differentiate sounds more effectively.
• Sound boxes (Elkonin boxes) add a kinesthetic element to auditory processing by having students push tokens into boxes in sync with segmenting a word’s sounds.
• Purpose of sound boxes: help students hear phonemes in sequence by linking slow verbal stretching of a word’s sounds with the placement of tokens in boxes, one token per phoneme.
• Example concept: for the word "cat" with three phonemes /k/ /a/ /t/, a three-box card would be used, and a token is placed into each box as the word is segmented.
• Sound boxes support the detection and segmentation of phonemes and are used as part of a systematic instructional sequence, not just a one-time activity.

What are Sound Boxes (Elkonin Boxes) and How They Work

• Also called sound boxes or sound box cards; used to teach phoneme detection and segmentation.
• Operational design:
  • Top third: a picture representing the target word to aid memory and focus during stretching.
  • Back of card: the printed word to help with later recall as cards accumulate.
  • Middle third: a horizon-line of square boxes (approx. 2" by 2" each) equal to the number of phonemes detectable in the word; spaces for tokens.
  • Bottom third: space for tokens that will be pushed into the boxes as the word is segmented.
• Materials and dimensions:
  • Card size: $8.5\,\text{in} \times 11\,\text{in}$ (construction paper).
  • Boxes: $2\,\text{in} \times 2\,\text{in}$ per box, with one box per phoneme.
• Visual cue: a picture helps students remember the word during stretching; a print of the word on the back aids accuracy as the collection grows.
• Conceptual cue for blends: sounds in blends are highly interconnected; they may seem like “close friends” and can be hard to distinguish, requiring explicit practice.
• Color-coding (levels of difficulty) to differentiate practice needs:
  • Level 1: green construction paper (continuous initial consonants)
  • Level 2: yellow paper (initial stop consonants)
  • Level 3: red paper (words with blends)
• Table 1 (Useful Words with Phoneme Segmentation for Sound Boxes) provides examples by level:
  • Level 1 (Three phonemes): f-a-n, f-i-sh, f-e-e-d, f-e-e-t, f-i-le, f-i-ve, j-o-g, l-a-m-b, l-e-a-f, l-i-d, l-o-ck, m-a-p, m-e-a-t, m-e-ss, m-i-ce, m-o-n, m-o-p, n-a-i-l, n-e-t, n-o-se, n-u-t, r-a-t, r-a-i-n, r-a-ke, r-ea-d, r-i-de, r-o-ad, r-o-ck, r-o-pe, r-u-g, s-a-ck, s-ea-l, s-ea-t, sh-eep, sh-i-p, s-i-ck, s-oa-p, s-u-n, wr-i-te
  • Level 2 (Three phonemes): b-a-ke, b-a-g, b-a-t, b-e-d, b-i-ke, b-oo-k, b-u-g, b-u-s, c-a-p, c-a-ke, c-a-ge, c-a-n, c-a-ve, ch-i-ck, c-oa-t, c-o-mb, c-o-t, c-u-p, c-u-t, d-o-g, d-eer, d-u-ck, g-a-me, g-a-te, g-oa-t, g-u-m, h-a-m, h-a-t, h-i-t, h-o-se, h-o-t, j-a-ck, j-a-m, j-eep, j-e-t, j-ui-ce, k-i-ck, k-i-te, p-i-g, p-a-n, p-a-th, p-ea-k, p-o-t, t-o-p, t-ea-m, t-a-pe, t-i-re, t-u-b, t-u-be, w-a-sh, w-a-ve, w-e-b, w-i-g, w-i-pe
  • Level 3 (Three phonemes): b-l-ow, c-r-y, f-l-y, g-l-ue, s-k-i, s-t-ew, t-r-ee
  • Level 3 (Four phonemes): b-l-a-ck, b-l-ock, b-r-i-de, b-r-oo-m, b-r-u-sh, b-r-i-ck, c-r-a-ck, d-r-o-p, d-r-e-ss, d-r-i-ve, f-l-a-g, f-r-o-g, f-l-oa-t, f-l-u-te, f-r-ui-t, g-l-a-ss, g-r-a-ss, g-r-i-ll, g-r-oo-m, h-a-n-d, p-l-u-g, p-l-u-m, p-r-e-ss, p-l-a-ne, p-r-i-ze, s-k-a-te, s-k-i-p, s-l-ee-ve, s-l-i-ce, s-l-e-d, s-l-i-p, s-m-i-le, s-n-i-p, s-p-i-ll, s-p-oo-n, s-p-o-t, s-t-o-p, s-t-ea-m, s-w-ee-p, s-w-i-m, t-r-ai-n, t-r-u-ck
• Rationale for use:
  • The process helps learners hear sounds in a natural speech flow and connect each audible phoneme to a visual/physical representation.
  • A systematic, organized approach ensures consistency across learners and classrooms.
  • Exposure to a variety of words with different phoneme structures promotes robust phonemic awareness rather than rote repetition on a single word.

Choosing Words for Sound Boxes

• Guidelines for selecting words:
  1) Use only one-syllable words; 2) choose words conceptually familiar to young children; 3) select phonemically regular words so that stretched sounds are clearly heard.
• Avoid-r-controlled-vowel words initially (e.g., car) because they complicate segmentation.
• Silent-letter words can be used if the boxes are drawn to match the actual number of sounds heard, not the number of letters.
• Use the backward card printing approach: print the word on the back to aid future recall as the card collection grows.

Levels of Difficulty and the Gradient of Challenge

• Level 1: three phonemes with a continuous initial consonant; easiest start for detection and segmentation because the initial sound can be stretched without a stop in breath (e.g., /s/, /f/, /m/).
• Level 2: three phonemes with an initial stop consonant; more difficult because the stop requires a quick puff of air, breaking the smooth continuation across phonemes (e.g., /d/, /k/, /t/).
• Level 3: more challenging; words begin or end with blends (e.g., /bl/, /mp/); blending can create difficulty in isolating each phoneme (the individual sounds within the blend must be detected and separated).
• Visual cue: Level 1 uses green cards, Level 2 yellow, Level 3 red to indicate increasing difficulty.
• Level design supports gradual skill development from simple to complex phoneme structures.

Demonstrating How the Boxes are Used (Two-Person Demonstration Model)

• Demonstration step: show how the boxes are incorporated into the process while articulating the word.
• Example: word "mug" with three phonemes /m/ /u/ /ɡ/; as you say each phoneme slowly, push a marker into the first, then second, then third box.
• Step-by-step teaching of the process:
  1) Stretch the word slowly, articulating each phoneme, while students push markers into corresponding boxes.
  2) Then reverse: students stretch and articulate each phoneme at a slow pace, and the teacher pushes markers into the boxes to match.
• If a student struggles with stretching or pushing, continue practicing with additional sound box cards until success.
• Use of a large mirror can help students observe mouth positions and synchronize articulation with box actions when there is difficulty.
• Recommended practice: three sound box cards per instructional session to provide manageable, focused practice.
• Session duration: generally less than five minutes per session, enabling integration into daily classroom routines.
• As students progress, the four steps can be collapsed into two steps (first and last steps), effectively reducing teacher support.
• When a student can independently stretch and push at one level, introduce the next, more challenging card while returning to step 1 as needed to maximize understanding.
• Transition strategy: include one more challenging card for a session, accompanied by easier cards the student can perform independently.

The Four-Step Gradual Release of Responsibility Model (Pearson & Gallagher, 1983)

• Step 1: Model the process; teacher stretches the word, student repeats with slow articulation; ensure the student can stretch the word back by articulating each phoneme before moving on.
• Step 2: Demonstrate how to incorporate the sound boxes; as each phoneme is articulated, push a marker into the corresponding box; both teacher and student participate in stretching and pushing.
• Step 3: Teach students to detect and segment phonemes; divide the task between teacher and student; alternate roles so the student practices both stretching and pushing.
• Step 4: Independent practice; students stretch the word and push markers independently; use three cards per session to avoid overload; provide feedback and support as needed.
• Instructional timing: after mastery, reduce teacher support and gradually rely on student-led processing.
• Progression criteria: once proficient at Level 1 and Level 2, begin transitioning to Level 3 and/or introduce Level 2 cards alongside Level 1 cards to scaffold progression.

Transitioning to Sound–Letter Matching (Alphabetic Principle)

• After students demonstrate proficiency at detecting and segmenting phonemes on the first two levels, begin integrating letter knowledge.
• Second stretch: students write letters into each box corresponding to the detected phonemes, with teacher support as needed.
• Goal: help students map sounds to letters, supporting the alphabetic principle and high-frequency rimes.
• As students solidify sound-letter correspondences and demonstrate confidence in basic sound-letter matching, the dependence on sound boxes diminishes.
• The process of transitioning to sound-letter matching mirrors natural reading development: moving from auditory-visual mapping to automatic letter-sound associations.

Practical Implementation Details and Practice Considerations

• The method emphasizes repetition across a variety of words to promote robust phoneme detection and segmentation.
• Cards are introduced progressively by difficulty level, with explicit practice on each level before advancing.
• The approach integrates well within daily routines and can be used in small-group or individual instruction.
• The combining of modeling, guided practice, and independent practice aligns with research-supported approaches to phonemic awareness instruction.
• The use of visual and kinesthetic cues supports diverse learners and enhances memory for word forms.

Examples and Figures

• Figure 1: Sound Box Card for the word "feet" (picture, three boxes, and three tokens used for segmentation).
• Example flows: for the word "feet" the choice of Level 1 is based on three phonemes with continuous initial sounds; the box card would show three boxes and three tokens ready for placement as the word is segmented.
• Demonstration using words such as mug (three phonemes: /m/ /u/ /g/) to show segmentation with corresponding box markers.

Transition to Independent Practice and Program Pacing

• Initially, use three sound box cards per session; this helps maintain focus and prevent cognitive overload.
• As students become proficient, reduce reliance on guided prompting and increase independent work.
• The four-step model can be compressed gradually as students demonstrate mastery at Level 1 and Level 2, enabling faster progression to Level 3.
• Once a student can reliably stretch and push with Level 2 materials, introduce Level 3 and integrate more Level 1 and Level 2 cards to sustain practice variety.

Transition to Sound-Box to Letter-Box Progression Summary

• Sound boxes build phonemic awareness with kinesthetic support.
• A gradual release of responsibility supports independence in phoneme detection and segmentation.
• Transition to sound-letter matching marks a shift from phoneme isolation to alphabetic mapping, a critical step toward reading and spelling.
• The approach is designed to be efficient and practical for daily classroom use, typically requiring less than five minutes per session after initial instruction.

Practical Considerations and Implications

• The technique is supported by foundational research on phonemic awareness instruction (e.g., Ehri et al., 2001; Lonigan, 2006; Clay, 2002; Pearson & Gallagher, 1983).
• The method emphasizes: explicit modeling, guided practice, gradual release, and integration with letter knowledge.
• The approach promotes inclusive practice by providing multiple modalities (auditory, visual, kinesthetic) to accommodate diverse learners.
• It aligns with established early literacy frameworks and can be incorporated into balanced literacy initiatives.

References (Selected)

• Clay, M.M. (2002). An observation survey of early literacy achievement (2nd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
• Ehri, L.C., Nunes, S.R., Willows, D.M., Schuster, B., Yaghoub-Zadeh, Z., & Shanahan, T. (2001). Phonemic awareness instruction helps children learn to read: Evidence from the National Reading Panel’s meta-analysis. Reading Research Quarterly, 36(3), 250–287. doi:10.1598/RRQ.36.3.2
• Ehri, L.C., & Roberts, T. (2006). The roots of learning to read and write: Acquisition of letters and phonemic awareness. In D.K. Dickinson & S.B. Neuman (Eds.), Handbook of early literacy research (Vol. 2, pp. 113–131). New York: Guilford.
• Elkonin, D.B. (1973). U.S.S.R. In J. Downing (Ed.), Comparative reading: Cross-national studies of behavior and processes in reading and writing (pp. 551–579). New York: Macmillan.
• Lonigan, C.J. (2006). Conceptualizing phonological processing skills in prereaders. In D.K. Dickinson & S.B. Neuman (Eds.), Handbook of early literacy research (Vol. 2, pp. 77–89). New York: Guilford.
• McCarthy, P.A. (1999). The effects of balanced literacy instructional training: A longitudinal study of reading performance in the primary grades. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Marquette University, Wisconsin.
• Pearson, P.D., & Gallagher, M.C. (1983). The instruction of reading comprehension. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 8(3), 317–344. doi:10.1016/0361-476X(83)90019-X
• McCarthy teaches at Towson University, Maryland, USA; e-mail pmccarthy@towson.edu.