Phonemic Awareness: How and Why

Phonemic Awareness: How and Why – Using Elkonin Boxes to Build Strong Readers

Phonemic awareness is one of the most critical building blocks in learning to read. It’s the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the individual sounds—phonemes—in spoken words. Unlike phonics, which connects sounds to letters, phonemic awareness is purely auditory. And without a strong foundation in this skill, reading can become a frustrating uphill climb—especially for dyslexic learners.

Fortunately, there are simple, effective tools we can use to build phonemic awareness. One of our favorites? Elkonin boxes.

Why Phonemic Awareness Matters

Research is clear: strong phonemic awareness is a predictor of future reading success. Students who can isolate, blend, segment, and manipulate phonemes are much more prepared to connect those sounds to letters and decode words.

For dyslexic students, phonemic awareness doesn’t always develop naturally. It often requires explicit, systematic instruction, with plenty of repetition and multisensory engagement. That’s where Elkonin boxes shine.

What Are Elkonin Boxes?

Elkonin boxes are visual tools used to help students segment words into their individual sounds. Each box represents one sound, not one letter. For example, the word “ship” would be segmented into three boxes: /sh/, /i/, /p/ — even though “sh” is made of two letters, it’s just one sound.

These boxes give students a hands-on, visual way to break words apart into phonemes, helping them develop a better understanding of the sounds that make up words.

How to Use Elkonin Boxes

Here’s a simple step-by-step way to incorporate Elkonin boxes into your phonemic awareness activities:

1. Choose a word appropriate to the student’s current skill level.
   
   
2. Draw or print boxes—one for each sound in the word.
   
   
3. Say the word aloud slowly and clearly.
   
   
4. Have the student repeat the word, then segment it into individual sounds.
   
   
5. As they say each sound, they push a token or marker (or even tap with a finger) into a box.
   
   
6. After practicing with sound boxes, you can gradually add letters to connect sounds to spelling.
   
   

For example, with the word “cat,” you’d use three boxes:

• /k/ → push a token into the first box
  
  
• /a/ → push a token into the second box
  
  
• /t/ → push a token into the third box
  
  

Tips for Success

• Keep it multisensory – Use magnetic chips, playdough balls, or colored blocks to make it more engaging.
  
  
• Start with simple words – CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words are a great place to begin.
  
  
• Focus on sounds, not spelling – Remind students that it’s about what they hear, not the letters they see (especially with tricky sounds like /ch/ or /th/).
  
  
• Use daily for just a few minutes – Frequent, short sessions are often more effective than longer ones.
  
  

Why Elkonin Boxes Work for Dyslexic Learners

Elkonin boxes tap into a student’s visual and kinesthetic learning strengths. They make abstract sounds more concrete, providing clarity and structure for students who may otherwise struggle to identify phonemes.

For dyslexic students, the visual separation of sounds reinforces auditory input. It helps build the neural pathways needed for strong reading and spelling skills—laying the groundwork for phonics instruction that follows.

Building the Foundation

At Apricot Tree Academy, we believe in giving students the right tools, at the right time, in the right way. Phonemic awareness activities like Elkonin boxes offer a simple, powerful way to strengthen reading skills from the ground up—making literacy more accessible, especially for students with dyslexia.

If you’re supporting a struggling reader, don’t overlook the power of sound. Start with phonemic awareness, and you’re building on a rock-solid foundation.