Page 40 - PortalToEnglish_3_SB_SE

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A Discuss.
Discus
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• In your opinion, when is the best time to learn new skills: during childhood,
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our opinion, when is the be
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during your teenage years or during adulthood?
during your teenage years or during adulthood?
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Listen, read and check your answers.
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the teenage brain:
Have you ever wondered what’s going on in your head?
Have you ever wondered what’s going on in your head?
© MM Publications

Scientists never stopped doing research on the
brain, but for many of us the teenage brain is still a
mystery. To understand what makes a teenage brain
special, we have to look at how people learn. The
brain is made up of a network of connections. When
people learn something, a new connection is made,
and the new information is sent to a different part
of the brain, where it becomes a memory. Every
time we use the new connection, the information is
sent faster and more easily – but, if the connection
is not used enough, it will grow weak and will soon
stop existing. This is why when you have taken the
same route for years, it’s not necessary to pay a
lot of attention to where you’re going. Therefore,
there’s no need to feel disappointed with yourself
when you’re walking a route you’ve taken only once
before and you have taken trouble remembering the
way; it’s totally natural.
So, what makes a teenager’s brain different from
an adult’s? A lot of activity takes place between
the ages of 13 and 18, during which time the brain
can build new connections at a faster rate than it
ever will again. People can learn new skills more
effectively during this period than at any other time
of their lives, so it’s important that teenagers never
get sick of having new experiences and
trying new activities.
However, teenagers must keep
in mind that their brains haven’t
actually finished growing yet. Some
areas – like the front part, which
helps people decide if something is a
good idea or not – develop slowly. This
means that the teenage brain isn’t very
good at recognising danger. What’s more, the
fun-loving part of the brain is one of the areas that
develops the fastest, and it works at full strength
during the teenage years. That’s why teenagers
rarely get bored with doing challenging things.
When they find them exciting their need to have
fun is stronger than the voice in their head that says
‘no, it’s too dangerous’. Parents shouldn’t get angry
when their teenage children try risky activities
which can help them discover new experiences.
However, teenagers need to help the weaker parts
of their brain by staying calm and thinking carefully
before they act.
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