Westover Language Teacher Explores How Bilingualism Shapes the Mind
Westover language teacher Rebeca Espinosa was invited to lead a roundtable at the 2025 Inter-American Congress of Psychology in Puerto Rico. Her session, Bilingualism and Cognitive Flexibility: How Learning Multiple Languages Enhances Thinking and Problem Solving, explored how bilingualism influences the way we think, learn, and adapt.
“As a language teacher, I’ve always been fascinated by the way students learn and use new languages,” she shared. “Seeing how bilingualism shapes their thinking and adaptability inspired me to explore how speaking more than one language strengthens their minds and broadens their worldviews.”
Hosted by the Inter-American Society of Psychology, the congress promotes collaboration and the exchange of psychological knowledge across the Americas and the Caribbean. It brings together professionals with diverse backgrounds to discuss emerging opportunities and challenges in the field.
Her roundtable Bilingualism and Cognitive Flexibility came to fruition through her pedagogy and background in psychology. These two factors led her to lean into research on the learning process, neuroplasticity, and effective teaching strategies.
“I’ve often been inspired by the moments, or ‘a-ha’ moments, when my students suddenly recognize relationships between their first language, the one they’re acquiring, and the ideas we’re exploring in class. Seeing their minds shift and expand in those instances made me curious about how multilingual experiences shape the way we think and process information.” – Rebeca Espinosa
“I’ve often been inspired by the moments, or ‘a-ha’ moments, when my students suddenly recognize relationships between their first language, the one they’re acquiring, and the ideas we’re exploring in class. Seeing their minds shift and expand in those instances made me curious about how multilingual experiences shape the way we think and process information.” – Rebeca Espinosa
Her discussion centered on three key themes.
- Cognitive Benefits of Learning Multiple Languages: How multilingualism trains the brain differently than other disciplines.
- Bilingualism Enhancing Creativity: Exploring how using more than one language expands a student’s creative thinking.
- Cultural Context as a Learning Resource: How bilingualism can enrich collective learning and strengthen classroom connections.
At Westover, Rebeca brings these ideas to life through classroom discussions that weave together language and culture. When exploring topics like traditions, food, or greetings in Spanish, she invites her students to reflect on their own cultural experiences: How do they differ? What do they share?
These reflections help students question assumptions and appreciate diverse ways of living and thinking, expanding their understanding of the world.
“It’s essential for students to learn multiple languages because language is deeply intertwined with culture,” Rebeca added. “Each language reflects how people feel, think, and see the world. One of the examples discussed in the roundtable was [how] Spanish uses querer and amar to express different kinds of love, whereas English only has one word for love. Learning other languages helps students understand different histories, emotions, and perspectives, making them more open-minded and connected to the world.”
Since the congress in July, Rebeca continues to explore the intersection of language and psychology. She is currently co-authoring an article on bilingualism and cognitive skills and developing another piece reflecting on her classroom experiences. She also plans to lead a student focus group to better understand how bilingualism influences creativity and problem-solving.
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