Cognitivism is a learning theory that looks beyond observable behaviors to explain learning in terms of mental processes. It views humans as active processors of information who create internal mental representations to interpret and understand new information. According to cognitivism, learning involves incorporating new information into existing cognitive frameworks or "schemas". The cognitive theory proposes that learning is an active process where students construct new ideas based on both their background knowledge and current learning experiences. Language learning in particular involves encoding new concepts and meanings through the words and structures of a language. The cognitive approach emphasizes that learning only occurs when new information is meaningful to the learner and integrated with their prior understanding.