This resource is used to help your young students with the early encoding of cvc (and later cvcc/ccvc) words. Once they are 'tuned in' to the sounds of words and are able to stretch words out into individual phonemes and can recognise the initial target graphemes - then they are ready to work with sound boxes and the early building of words.

Unlike many other resources that require children to know all letter sounds and graphemes in order to spell and write words matching a picture, this set is more open ended, and encourages encoding of words as soon as children start learning and recalling grapheme sounds.

This set comprises of two different sound mats in both colour and black and white. The first mat is for the building of simple cvc (consonant-vowel-consonant) words. The second, is for use later in their phonemic development and focuses on the creation of cvcc and ccvc words - including those with consonant and vowel diagraph sounds.

The set also includes some sound box frames on an activity page. I use these in my classroom for small group and differentiated spelling work (in-dry erase sleeves). I also print them out and create individual sounding out booklets for my students for regular use during their phonic lessons. However you may use them in your context, I am confident that if your students are familiar with using sound boxes as part of their phonemic/phonic instruction, then you will find them as useful as I do!

There is a set of sound and diagraph sound cards that can be laminated and cut out for use during lessons. I have ten copies of each kept in sets (coinciding with the letter-sound sequence of my phonics program), and use these as the focus of my word building. I also interchange these with magnetic letters, wooden letters, letter tiles and the use of whiteboard markers to maintain variety and interest.

If you like this resource, please can I encourage you to leave some feedback.

Happy word building everyone!