Sound Walls in the Classroom: A Science of Reading Approach That Works

If you want a reading tool that aligns with what the Reading Research says and that actually works, you need a sound wall.

Here’s why: Research tells us that literacy begins with oral language. Students must first hear and practice phonemes (the smallest units of sound) before they can connect them to graphemes (letters or letter combinations). A sound wall makes this process visual, interactive, and easy to revisit all day long.

What Is a Sound Wall?

A sound wall is a visual display that organizes the 44 speech sounds of English and the different spellings (graphemes) that represent them.

This approach works because it follows how the brain learns to read: from speech to print.

Why Use a Sound Wall in the Classroom?

Sound walls are one of the most effective tools for phonics instruction because they support the two strongest predictors of reading success:

  • Phonemic Awareness – the ability to hear and manipulate sounds in spoken words.
  • Letter-Sound Connections – the ability to connect sounds to letters and spelling patterns.

With a sound wall, students practice both skills every day. And since it’s always posted in the classroom, students naturally refer to it while reading, writing, and spelling.

The Science of Reading Connection

The Science of Reading tells us that effective literacy instruction starts with oral language and builds to print. Sound walls embody this process:

  1. Students learn phonemes first – practicing blending and segmenting the sounds they hear in spoken words.
  2. Students attach graphemes – connecting sounds to the letters that represent them.

This speech-to-print approach ensures that instruction is explicit, systematic, and research-based.

How to Teach with a Sound Wall

Here’s how to make a sound wall part of your daily phonics instruction:

1. Warm-up with a Chant!  – Your students will love starting each phonics lesson with a 3 minute chant to review and preview every single sound! Get your *FREE* Sound Wall Chant HERE.

2. Lock it up!  – Engage your students and avoid the overwhelm of 44 sounds all at once with locks! Follow this FUN lock routine as you teach each sound first, and the spelling that represents it. You will have your students begging to learn the next sound!

3. Use it ALL day long – Finally! A literacy tool that students actually use to help them read and write throughout the entire day. With the Sound Wall up all the time, your students will refer to it as they read and write all day long.

4. Instill confidence & independence – Students gain confidence and independence when they understand how sounds and letters work together. Students can also use this *FREE* Personal Sound Wall at give extra reading and spelling support as they need it.

Get Your Sound Wall!

A sound wall is one of the most effective tools you can add to your classroom—it’s simple, it’s research-based, and it actually helps kids read and spell with confidence.

That’s exactly why I created my simplified sound wall. It’s teacher-friendly, student-approved, and designed to take the guesswork out of phonics instruction. You don’t have to piece it together—I’ve done the work for you.

👉 Grab my Sound Wall here! It comes in 3 different styles & two sizes. Grab it, print it, and start teaching now!

✨ If you’re ready to align your teaching with the Science of Reading, grab your Sound Wall today.