Promoting Bilingualism in FORA Curricula

BY Aisha Hernandez Orozco

The Strength of Bilingualism

At FORA, education is more than a curriculum. Rather, it’s a means towards equity, opportunity and identity. For FORA students, bilingualism is a way to express themselves freely and a skill that FORA aims to celebrate.

Bilingualism traditionally is the ability to speak in two languages. Yet this definition does not fully encompass FORA students’ experiences and skills. At FORA, bilingual students are simultaneous, sequential and emerging. Each and every student is bilingual at FORA, with 3% being multilingual or having the ability to use more than two languages for communication. FORA’s High Impact Tutoring (HIT) model not only aims to improve students’ English literacy but also enriches their bilingual skills. 

A representation of students' spoken languages in July 2025.

The Power of Bilingualism

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 21.6% of people in the US speak a language other than English at home. That’s more than one in every five Americans. Yet, bilingualism is often mischaracterized as a barrier in education, especially for immigrants and refugees. The reality is bilingualism isn’t something students need to “overcome”. It’s a superpower to bring with them, and is one that deserves to be celebrated. 

The benefits of bilingualism are often a subject of debate. However, studies reveal individuals who identify as bilingual have more gray matter in a portion of their brain called the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) when compared to monolingual brains. The ACC is one part of the brain that involves executive functioning. According to researchers, having more gray matter in this part of the brain is associated with motivation and emotional regulation.

Other studies targeting elementary school students' ability to multitask concluded bilingual students outperformed the monolingual students in making complex judgements and decisions. It’s clear bilingualism is more powerful than previously thought. Bilingualism is one building block of academic success promoting adaptability in new environments, a skill especially important for refugee students.

Beyond cognitive abilities, bilingualism cultivates economic value in society and around the globe. According to Preply, bilingual employees earn between 5% and 20% more than their monolingual peers and are preferred across industries for their communication skills. 

Bilingualism at FORA

FORA student carries a rich linguistic and cultural heritage that the FORA community recognizes and celebrates.

While FORA’s HIT model emphasizes academic growth in English literacy and math, it’s never at the cost of students’ native languages. Students receive one-on-one, individualized instruction in English reading and math for two hours each weekday. This level of daily engagement accelerates literacy and comprehension in English, allowing students the ability to thrive in American schools. 

FORA does not ask students to leave their language at the door. In fact, students are always encouraged to express themselves in the language they are most comfortable with, whether during conversation or play. At FORA, we work to ensure bilingualism is not treated as a barrier, but as a bridge to confidence and to academic success. 

Byron Bell, the Director of Education at FORA, discussed the importance of recognizing bilingualism as a strength, especially in refugee education.

“Being able to communicate across reading, writing, listening, and speaking makes you a stronger communicator overall,” he said. “It’s not just about speaking, it’s about being able to connect with others, plan what you want to say, and speak off the cuff. We want our students to build foundational skills, but we also want them to have language acquisition and to use it confidently and meaningfully.”

Our mission is not to “replace” our students’ first language with English, but to build on what they already know and help them thrive in every environment they enter.

Moving Forward

As we continue our work at FORA, we are reminded that language is a bridge between worlds. In every tutoring session, we are not only helping students strengthen their English literacy, but also help them see their bilingualism as a source of pride and opportunity.

“Everyone holds space and holds firm at FORA,” Bell said. By uplifting bilingualism, FORA helps students find confidence in their identities, excel academically and become leaders in a world that needs their voices— in any language they speak.