Melissa Mascio, Speech-Language Pathologist

02/09/2026

Registration now open.

Follow link for online booking or contact us for booking support.

melissam@mountain-speech.ca
289-212-6099

https://mountainspeech.janeapp.com/

02/04/2026

Come join our growing team in beautiful Fonthill!

Sign on bonus or relocation assistance provided.

Mountain Speech Language Services

02/03/2026

What does a Happy Talk class actually look like?

It looks like play.
It sounds like laughter, curious sounds, and shared moments.
It feels safe, relaxed, and joyful.

In Happy Talk, there are no expectations—no pressure to perform, no “right way” to communicate. We follow the child’s lead and create space for connection first.

Children explore sensory play, songs, movement, stories, and social games while we gently model language, communication, and interaction in ways that feel natural and fun. Every sound, gesture, look, and attempt counts.

Happy Talk is about:
✨ Building trust
✨ Finding joy in communication
✨ Supporting each child exactly where they are

Because when kids feel happy, safe, and connected—communication grows 💬💛

02/01/2026

🌞📚 Looking for a camp that’s both educational and fun? 📚🌞

Registration opens Feb 9th, 2026

We’re excited to be returning for our 3rd year with our popular Let’s Read! Summer Literacy Camp!

Camp leaders Paul & Melissa Mascio are looking forward to welcoming back familiar faces from last year — and meeting new learners joining us for the first time.

✨ Learning, confidence-building, and fun — all in one summer camp experience.

👉 See the flyer for details
💌 DM us for registration information or to be added to our waitlist

www.mountain-speech.ca

📚

02/01/2026

“Pay attention” is one of the most common directions students hear and also one of the least explicitly taught.

When I started working with students, I quickly learned that attention WASN'T what I was always told ➡️ quiet bodies, still hands, and eyes forward.

Attention is far more complex than compliance, and it can look very different from student to student.

One of the most helpful shifts I made was teaching students that attention is not a single ability.

Attention is a skill we use to filter information in our environment so we can focus on what matters and ignore what does not. But attention has limits, we can only attend to so much information for so long. There are different types of attention, each with different demands. When students struggle, it’s rarely because they “can’t pay attention.” It’s because a specific type of attention is being overloaded.

While there are many ways we can think about attention, we like to break it into five categories.

We're diving deeper into each of these in our blog, "How Can I Help My Students Pay Attention?"

👉 Click here to check it out: https://smarterintervention.com/blog-highlights/executivefunctioning/how-can-i-help-my-child-pay-attention?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=blogs

01/30/2026

🗣️ Speech Therapy Isn’t Just for Kids — Adults Are Welcome Here Too 🗣️

Communication is at the heart of connection. It’s how we share stories, advocate for ourselves, maintain relationships, and participate fully in life. And at every stage of adulthood, communication deserves care and attention.

Adults often seek support from a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) or Communication Health Assistant (CHA) for many reasons — changes after a brain injury or stroke, concussion, neurological conditions, voice or swallowing concerns, cognitive-communication challenges, or simply feeling that communication doesn’t come as easily as it used to.

Speech therapy for adults isn’t about drills or worksheets. It’s about quality of life.
✔️ Communicating confidently at work
✔️ Staying connected with family and friends
✔️ Participating in conversations that matter
✔️ Finding strategies that work in real-life situations

You don’t need to “wait until things are worse” to reach out. Support can be proactive, personalized, and focused on what you want to do and say in your daily life.

If communication feels effortful, frustrating, or limiting — you’re not alone, and help is available. Adults are always welcome here.

Connection matters at every age. 💙

01/29/2026

✨ We’re Growing — and We’re Looking for the Right Fit! ✨

Mountain Speech-Language Services is expanding, and we’re so excited to welcome a passionate Speech-Language Pathologist to our team in Pelham / Fonthill, Ontario!

We’re opening a brand new clinic space in early 2026, and we’re looking for someone who genuinely loves working with children and families, both in-clinic and out in the community with our amazing contract partners.

This role is perfect for an SLP who:
💛 Is energetic, creative, and compassionate
💛 Loves supporting neurodivergent children
💛 Enjoys variety — clinic sessions and community-based work
💛 Values collaboration, mentorship, and feeling supported

Our caseload includes preschool and school-aged children with autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, speech sound disorders, fluency needs, and literacy goals. We also run popular, well-loved programs for preschoolers and older children that clinicians truly enjoy being part of.

You’ll be supported every step of the way by a dedicated admin team and a Clinical Pediatric Lead, so you can focus on what you do best — connecting with kids and making a real impact.

If you’re looking for a team that’s warm, collaborative, neurodiversity-affirming, and genuinely excited about the work we do, we’d love to hear from you.

📩 Reach out or apply — we can’t wait to meet you!

Mountain Speech Language Services

01/27/2026

Family Literacy Day 2026

Why the Kitchen Is the Best Classroom in the House 🍳📚

When we think of learning, we picture desks and books — but one of the richest classrooms in any home is the kitchen.

Cooking and eating together naturally build reading, writing, math, science, and communication skills — without feeling like “school.” In honour of Family Literacy Day’s theme, “Make mealtime family learning time,” here are simple ways to embed literacy into everyday meals:

Easy literacy ideas for the kitchen:

📝 Have kids help write the grocery list or meal plan

📖 Read recipes together and look for new words

🥄 Practice math by measuring, counting, and comparing

🔬 Talk about science: What happens when water boils? Why does dough rise?

💬 Build oral language by sharing stories and describing tastes and textures

Every meal is a chance to build confidence, communication, and lifelong learning — all while making memories together.

Small moments. Big learning. 💛

01/26/2026

We’re feeling incredibly grateful (and a little overwhelmed in the best way) to share that Community Votes Niagara informed us that Mountain Speech Language Services has been nominated in five categories:
Language Classes, Home Health, Tutors, Therapy, and Rehab Clinics.

Every nomination helps raise awareness for communication, literacy and swallowing services in our community and supports our mission to make care more accessible across Niagara.

If you believe in the work we’re doing, please click the link below and nominate Mountain Speech Language Services. Your support means so much to our team and the families we serve.

Official 2026 Community Voting Awards Platform for Niagara Region, ON. Where the community votes for their favourites every year.

01/26/2026

Our offices remain open, but your therapist will notify you if they are unable to safely travel to the office in the morning. We will also offer a virtual option or reschedule where able and appropriate.

Likewise, if you need to cancel sessions for your child or family, please let us know by calling 289-212-6099 or emailing admin@mountain-speech.ca

Cancellations will not incur a charge for inclement weather.

Stay safe everyone. ❄️

01/24/2026

March Break Articulation Intensive
📅 March 16–20
⏰ Various appointment times available
📍 Available in Hamilton, Fonthill, and virtually across Ontario

We’re offering a short-term, high-impact articulation therapy intensive this March Break for children with lingering speech sound errors.

The program includes:
• Individual therapy sessions
• A consultation to review your child’s speech sound development and goals

Research shows that high-intensity intervention with more repetitions, more frequent sessions, and a shorter overall timeframe can be a very effective and efficient way to improve one or two tricky speech sounds.

📩 DM us to register
or email melissa@mountain-speech.ca
Website link in our bio (Linktree)

Spaces are limited.

01/24/2026

Do you have a question that you'd like to ask our speech-language pathologists or communication disorder assistants? Pop your question in the comments.