Dr. Lynn Hansberry Mayo

Lynn Hansberry Mayo is a bilingual (Spanish and English) speech-language pathologist licensed in Transitional Bilingual Education [Spanish] and English as a Second Language. She earned a doctorate in education from Johns Hopkins University, specializing in Mind, Brain, and Teaching. She brings 26 years of clinical experience and an interdisciplinary approach to researching sociocultural factors that shape childhood to the Department of Childhood Studies. The persistent achievement gaps in education and overidentification of linguistic minorities in special education motivate Dr. Mayo's research focus: the impact of institutional language use on academic, social, and identity development. Her research focuses specifically on linguistic practices that promote cultural erasure. Dr. Mayo is passionate about encouraging interpersonal understanding through increasing awareness of cultural variations in how speakers organize and use language. This same emphasis also inspires her work to combine service and learning by developing service opportunities for Bridgewater State University students to engage in ethical service locally and abroad.