Turn any word list into a printable vocabulary mat. Type your words and Vocab Mat finds a clear picture symbol for each one, lays them out on an A4 mat, and lets you add up to two translation languages per card for EAL pupils. No picture for a tricky word? Change the wording or upload your own — it’s remembered next time.
If your school makes Widgit-style symbol cards — clear cartoon pictures on clean white backgrounds, the kind that work so well as SEN visual supports and for EAL learners — Vocab Mat builds the same kind of resource for free: teaching cards, picture flashcards, communication cards and translation cards, each with a bold word underneath and up to two extra languages. The symbols come from the open-licensed Mulberry, OpenMoji, PiCom, Tawasol and Stellar symbol sets via Global Symbols. Sage Teachers is independent and not affiliated with Widgit Software.
How do I make a word mat?
Type or paste your word list and Vocab Mat finds a picture symbol for each word, then lays them out as a printable vocabulary mat.
Can I add translations?
Yes — each card shows the English word plus up to two translation languages, chosen from 15 including Spanish, French, Arabic, Mandarin and Polish. Handy for EAL pupils and multilingual classrooms.
Is this a free alternative to Widgit-style symbol cards?
Vocab Mat makes Widgit-inspired symbol cards — clear cartoon-style pictures on clean white backgrounds with a bold word underneath — for free, using the open-licensed Mulberry, OpenMoji, PiCom, Tawasol and Stellar symbol sets via Global Symbols. Sage Teachers is independent and not affiliated with Widgit Software.
Can I make flashcards or communication cards with it?
Yes — the 4-per-page layout makes big teaching cards and communication cards, and the 9 or 12-per-page layouts make picture flashcards and vocabulary flashcards. Cut them up or keep them as a word mat.
What if there is no picture for a word?
Change the search wording, or upload your own picture for any word — it is remembered for next time.
Can I print the word mat?
Yes — it pops out as a printable A4 PDF for the class.
Is the word mat maker free?
Yes — building and printing word mats is free to try.
Turn the same words into a puzzle with the Word Search Maker, or build a picture prompt around a topic with Picture This.