As first-language learning is achieved so naturally, shouldn’t it be simple to acquire a second language at school? If we knew more about the way children’s brains worked, couldn’t we help more? Some answers can be found on the web pages of California’s Center for Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence (CREDE). Fred Genesee summarises research in the science of language learning at: http:www.cal.orgericclldigest0012brain.html ne interesting finding is that teaching schemes based on left and right brain ideas might be a waste of time. The left brain is supposed to be in charge of reading and writing, and the right music, geometry and the imagination. But Genesee says that this is irrelevant to teaching methods. The CREDE website is at: http:www.cal.orgcrede E-mail suggestions for future Internet Insights to Sam Saunders at J.P.Saunders@leeds.ac.uk