According to the research findings introduced by neuroscientist Joy Hirsch, children and adults do not use the same parts of the brain when learning a second language. Hirsch claims two hypotheses. One assumption is that when the brain is still developing a hard-wiring, the brain may intertwine sounds and structures from all languages into the same area. But once that wiring is complete, the management of a new language, with new sounds and structures, must be taken over by a different part of the brain. The other notion is that we may acquire language differently as children than we do as adults. If you watch mothers or family members teaching an infant to speak, it's very tactile, it's very auditory, it's very visual. There are a lot of different inputs. And that's very different from sitting in a high school class.

So, how can teachers effectively instruct students to intake what they put out? If there are differences between how children and adults learn language, what is the effective way to input? There are a good number of theories regarding learning. Among them, and probably the newest learning theory, is one of brain-based learning. Brain-based learning claims that teachers should offer nutritious information for students' brains!

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