What is the Science of Learning?
Retrieval practice strengthens memory and learning by helping students actively recall information. Discover practical classroom strategies that work.
Most of us become language teachers because we love language. But loving a language and teaching it are two very different things. For years, I felt like something was missing. I had taken countless methods courses, SLA classes, education courses, and participated in professional development sessions galore. Yet, when I stepped into the classroom with all this knowledge, I realized a huge gap: I understood how languages work and had ideas coming out of my ears, but I didn’t fully understand how the brain learns them. I could provide input for students and speak the language fluently myself… but I didn’t always know how to help that knowledge stick in their minds.
That gap between what we teach and what students remember is exactly where the science of learning becomes powerful.
How Learning Works
Learning isn’t passive; students build understanding by connecting new ideas to what they already know. A few core principles shape how the brain learns:
Cognitive Load
Working memory is limited. When we overload students with too many new words, unclear directions, or too much on the screen, students retain less.
We can help by chunking information, modeling slowly, and providing clear routines and supports.
Prior Knowledge
New ideas stick when they connect to something familiar.
Strategies: Activate background knowledge before new units using images, maps, stories, or short target-language prompts.
Addressing Common Myths
A big part of learning science is unlearning what doesn’t help.
- Learning styles: Students may have preferences, but teaching to “visual vs. auditory learners” doesn’t improve outcomes. Use multiple modalities instead.
- Left-brain/right-brain: Both hemispheres work together for almost everything, including language.
- 10% brain myth: We use far more than 10% of our brains. Memory and learning rely on networks across the whole brain.
Letting go of these myths frees us to focus on what does work.
Emotion, Motivation, and Belonging
Learning isn’t just cognitive, it’s emotional. Stress, anxiety, and fear block learning; connection and belonging open the door. Language students learn more when they:
Language students learn more when they:
- feel safe to take risks
- see the relevance of what they’re learning
- experience autonomy and choice
- view mistakes as part of the process
Building community isn’t extra; it’s foundational.
Sleep, Movement, and Well-Being
Sleep consolidates memory. Movement improves focus, mood, and attention. These factors matter deeply in language classrooms, where students need sustained attention for both input and output.
Tips: Include brain breaks, movement-based activities, reminders about sleep, or quick stretching between tasks.
Why This Matters for Language Teachers
At its heart, the science of learning helps us answer the questions that matter most:
- How do students acquire and retain language?
- Why do some things “stick” while others disappear?
- How can we reduce overwhelm and increase engagement?
- How do we support long-term, meaningful proficiency?
Understanding how the brain learns doesn’t replace our artistry as a teacher, but it strengthens it. As Daniel Willingham writes:
“The more we know about learning and how it works, the more likely we will be able to make it happen.”
When we design classroom experiences with learning science in mind, we honor both the research and the real humans sitting in front of us.
