How Sound Boxes Support Spelling and Writing for All Learners

Sound boxes (also known as Elkonin boxes) are a highly effective multisensory strategy that support both dyslexic and non-dyslexic learners to develop secure spelling and confident early writing. By breaking words into individual sounds and linking these directly to written letters, sound boxes make the structure of words clear, manageable, and accessible.

Supporting Dyslexic Learners

Many dyslexic learners experience difficulty with phonological awareness, sound–symbol correspondence, and working memory. Sound boxes support these areas by slowing the spelling process and making each sound explicit.

• Strengthen phonological awareness by isolating and identifying individual sounds in words

• Reduce working memory demands by focusing on one sound at a time

• Support accurate sound-to-letter mapping, including digraphs and trigraphs

• Encourage left-to-right processing, essential for spelling and sentence writing

• Promote self-checking, as children can see whether all sounds are represented

This structured approach supports dyslexic learners to spell with intention rather than relying on visual guessing.

Supporting Non-Dyslexic Learners

For non-dyslexic learners, sound boxes deepen phonics understanding and support accurate spelling choices during writing.

• Reinforce phoneme segmentation, a key skill for spelling

• Support application of phonics in writing, not just reading

• Improve spelling accuracy before recording words independently

• Build confidence when spelling unfamiliar or longer words

Sound boxes help children understand why words are spelled the way they are, strengthening transferable spelling strategies.

An Inclusive Classroom Strategy

Sound boxes are a core component of inclusive, high-quality phonics teaching. They support children with SEND, EAL, speech and language needs, ADHD, and developmental language disorder, while also benefiting whole-class spelling instruction.

When embedded into daily phonics and writing practice, sound boxes create a learning environment where spelling is broken down, explicit, and achievable, enabling all children to approach writing with confidence and success.