By: Norafiqin Hairoman for The Dirt
Walk into Davis Language Academy (DLA), and you’ll quickly sense this is more than just a school. Sure, you’ll find the expected elements—students huddled over vocabulary lists, teachers explaining verb conjugations, the hum of concentrated effort—but listen closer, and you’ll hear laughter from a cultural potluck, the crinkle of craft projects, and snippets of conversation spilling out into the Davis community itself.
The mastermind behind it all is Mónica Frahm, Founder and Director, who runs the place with the conviction that anyone—yes, anyone—can learn a new language. No excuses. No ‘too old for this’. No ‘I’m just not good at languages’.
“Our core values start from the belief that anyone can learn a second (or third!) language,” Frahm told The Dirt. “We also value and celebrate diversity and the passion and dedication for a family to protect their home language—which means their roots and heritage.”
It’s a mission that has resonated deeply in Davis, a community known for its focus on education, sustainability, and global connection. Language schools often market themselves on efficiency (learn French in 30 days!) or on academic rigor. DLA takes a more holistic approach.
“Our mission sets us apart because we take our students’ goals very seriously,” Frahm explained. “We also place a lot of value in how diversity strengthens our community and equips children and adults for an increasingly globalized future.”
That means every student’s journey looks a little different. Some come for career advancement, some for travel, and others because they want to hold onto their family’s heritage. The academy meets them where they are, blending academic study with cultural immersion.
“We are clear about the fact that language is social,” Frahm said. “Culture is given a lot of importance. Don’t get me wrong, we love grammar, but the more dynamic and fun we make it for students, the more it will stick.”
So yes, students learn verb charts—but they might also cook a traditional German meal together, join a Deaf community event through ASL classes, or bring their families to a cultural potluck.
Ask Frahm what she’s proudest of, and she won’t point to test scores or enrollment numbers. She’ll talk about community. “Whether it’s a teacher bringing a traditional German dinner to her students, or our ASL students immersing themselves in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, we like to find ways to get out in the community and create tight bonds within our own,” she said.
That community-building extends beyond events. Parents are seen as essential partners in the learning process, especially for younger students. “We ask parents to think about working with us as a triangle: child-parent-teacher,” Frahm explained. “All sides need to be strong in order to achieve great results. Motivation plays a huge role in learning, so we want to be able to use each child’s interests to help them thrive.”
Like any young business, DLA’s first year came with surprises. “One of the challenges we encountered in trying to teach children is realizing that Davis kids are busy!” Frahm said. With after-school activities, sports, and family commitments, lessons had to be both flexible and impactful.
The solution? Bite-sized tools students could use at home between classes.
In its third year, DLA hit on something that became a community favorite: the Makers Workshop summer camp. The camp combined cultural crafts, life skills, and sustainability. Kids learned sewing, practiced traditional crafts with cultural significance, and left not only with new vocabulary but with tangible skills.
“Many parents told us how much their kids loved our camp and how motivated they were to keep learning; both the craft and the language,” Frahm said. The camp became a microcosm of what DLA strives for: education that doesn’t stop at the classroom door but spills into real life, making language learning relevant and joyful.
So where does Frahm see Davis Language Academy going next? She doesn’t hesitate. “If I could dream big, I’d love to see DLA become a vibrant community hub—a one-stop shop for anyone chasing their language goals, whether it’s for career growth, globe-trotting adventures, or just the joy of self-improvement.”
Her vision isn’t about textbooks or rigid syllabi. It’s about turning the act of learning a language into something that feels like unlocking the whole world.
Of course, no conversation with Frahm is complete without a dash of humor. When asked what mascot would best represent DLA, she didn’t go for the obvious globe or owl. She went with an octopus. “Even though they are incredibly smart, octopuses have amazing problem-solving skills. They’re curious and resourceful,” she says.
In other words: perfect stand-ins for language learners navigating new grammar rules, idioms, and cultural contexts.
Her go-to classroom phrase is equally telling: ¡Sí se puede! — yes, it’s possible. “I want students to remember that it is hard work that gets you results, not genius or a specific age,” she says. “Anyone can do it if they’re willing to put in the work. Here at DLA we love to be their coach and most loyal cheerleaders.”
And if Davis itself were a language? Frahm doesn’t miss a beat: “Community, sustainability, wellbeing.”
It’s easy to see why DLA has struck a chord. In a town that prizes inclusivity and lifelong learning, the academy offers not just a service but a philosophy: language learning as a bridge—between cultures, between generations, and between people right here in Davis.
Three years in, Davis Language Academy has grown from a startup school into something more akin to a community movement. The classrooms are full, but the real lessons happen in kitchens, camps, and community gatherings across town.
For Frahm, that’s the point. Language learning is about more than memorization. It’s about connection. And with an octopus as their unofficial mascot, you can bet the Davis Language Academy will keep using all eight arms to wrap the community a little closer together.
