Before emergent readers can begin to sound out words, they need to firmly grasp the sound each letter makes. Students at this stage of development learn to map sound patterns for the word represented on the picture card by sliding the plastic chips into the appropriate number of boxes, based on the number of sounds they hear. Reading and spelling skills can later be taught using these same materials by substituting the actual letters the sounds make in the same boxes. The picture-word cards are self-checking with the answers on the back. Includes a sturdy, compartmentalized storage box.