Balancing Language Burger

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) need expressive language games that build multiple foundational skills simultaneously while maintaining engagement and supporting differentiation across varying ability levels.

Comparing, contrasting, WH-questions, category identification, association-building, and functional language practice combine in one collaborative turn-taking game, accessible across ability levels with three built-in play variations.

Players work together to build a complete burger by rolling the die, answering expressive language questions, and stacking burger toppings onto a wobbly plate. The game includes 50 content cards featuring six distinct burger toppings, each targeting one expressive language skill: comparing, contrasting, wh-questions, exploring categories, finding associations, and understanding functions.

Three alternative play modes:

1. Easier Balancing without the wobbly plate
2. Specific Goals for targeted instruction, and
3. Longer Play for extended sessions

are included in the original game without requiring additional materials or preparation, making the game flexible for 1:1 therapy, small group instruction, or classroom consultation in-clinic or via telehealth delivery.

Who is this expressive language game helpful for?

Balancing Language Burger is ideal for Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), Occupational Therapists (OTs), special educators, and clinicians working with children and adolescents ages 6 and older across grades 1 and up. Particularly valuable for grades 1 to 3 students developing foundational expressive language skills, and grades 4 and up when paired with companion articulation or semantic feature analysis card sets for differentiated practice. This game supports individual therapy, small group intervention, classroom-based language programming, and home practice with families.

Why Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), Occupational Therapists (OTs), and clinicians love this expressive language game:

The collaborative turn-taking structure removes the social pressure of individual performance while building peer interaction skills alongside expressive language. Six distinct language skills are embedded in one game, reducing the need to purchase multiple materials for comprehensive language practice. Three play variations are built directly into the game instructions, eliminating prep time while allowing immediate differentiation for mixed-ability groups or individual students.

The wobbly plate adds a subtle proprioceptive and motor focus that maintains student attention without requiring coordination skills to be the primary goal, making it ideal for co-treatment with occupational therapists. Laminated cards and durable plastic pieces withstand frequent use in high-activity therapy settings. Developed by Rachele Ellsworth, M.S., CCC-SLP, the game reflects clinically informed design that balances engagement with measurable language outcomes.

Balancing Language Burger includes:

• 14 burger pieces (bun, lettuce, tomato, cheese, pickles, onions)
• Wobbly plate (creates balance challenge without requiring motor skills as learning objective)
• Dice
• Stickers
• 50 content cards organized by expressive language skill
• Three alternative play mode instructions (Easier Balancing, Specific Goals, Longer Play)