346 ready-made word matrices, so you can explore words with your students without starting from scratch.
Word matrices are by far the most requested resource I create, and for good reason. By presenting words as morphemes within a matrix, we can explore how words are built and related in meaning, how their histories shape their spelling, and how their spellings connect to their sounds.
Is this for you?
- You want to use word matrices with your students, but making them from scratch takes hours.
- You’re not always sure which words belong on a matrix, or whether a base is free or bound.
- You’d like matrices that start simple and build up, so you can meet students where they are.
- You want something that fits alongside the program you already use.
Whether you’re working with younger or older students, students who are finding spelling tricky, or those ready for deeper investigations, there’s something here for them.
What’s inside
- 346 ready-made word matrices (350+ pages), using both free and bound bases
- Colour-coded matrices: grey for simpler investigations, blue for deeper exploration
- Organised by spelling focus, building from simple to complex, including:
- vowels and consonants
- the F L S Z spelling convention
- consonant digraphs
- silent final <e>
- spellings in final positions
- long vowel graphemes and vowel + <r>
- ‘silent’ letters and unexpected spellings
- suffix conventions
- Latin and Greek etymology sections, with the denotation for each base
- Suggested activities for morphology, etymology and phonology
- Cut-out morphemes for a ‘Morphemes We Know’ wall display
Ways to use a matrix
- Morphology: is the base free or bound? Build word sums, notice any spelling changes, and talk about how the words are connected in meaning.
- Etymology: where does the base come from? Is there an interesting story behind it? Are there any etymological relatives?
- Phonology: how are the words pronounced? Does the pronunciation shift when affixes are added? Are there any graphemes that don’t match a sound, and what might they be signalling?
How it fits with my other resources
If you’re new to word matrices, Making Sense of English Spelling explains how they work, step by step. The CDK System is the reference for looking up a particular part of spelling. FOR THE LOVE of WORDS gives you the matrices ready to use. None of these is a complete spelling curriculum. They sit alongside the spelling teaching you’re already doing, whether that’s UFLI, Sounds-Write, Spelling Mastery, Sound Waves or your own scope and sequence.
Who it’s for
Classroom teachers, tutors, speech pathologists, homeschooling parents and parents helping at home.
Try before you buy
Not sure if it’s right for you? Download a free 49-page sample with selected pages from the full resource, including the complete table of contents and a selection of grey and blue matrices.
A note from me
I’m not a linguist, just a teacher fuelled by her love for words. I’ve double, triple and often quadruple-checked this resource, but if you come across anything you disagree with, I invite you to question, discuss and investigate it with your learners. Let it spark curiosity and conversation.
Licences
This purchase is for one teacher. Your download includes the full resource as PDF files, yours to keep.
Buying for your school? Choose a School Licence (up to 10 teachers, $250) or a Whole School Licence (unlimited teachers, $425).
For the love of words,
