Module code: 878

📚 Vocabulary Deep Dive

A2 – Learning by doing

18 key termsSeminar/teaching textA2

🎯 Learning Priorities

Focus on these words based on their importance for understanding the text:

⭐ Core concept of the entire text – understanding hands-on learning is essential to follow the main argument
practice with their handsverb phrase/collocationneutral

to do practical activities to learn by doing

📝 “Workers need to practice with their hands.”

Goes with: hands-on practice, practical training, practice skills
Family: noun: practice | verb: practice | adjective: practical
🇮🇹 Italian speakers may literally translate 'con le mani' but this is an idiom meaning hands-on practice
⭐ Central theme that explains why hands-on learning works – appears multiple times
brain sciencenoun/compound nounneutral

the study of how the brain works

📝 “Brain science shows us why.”

Goes with: modern brain science, brain research, neuroscience
Family: noun: brain, science, scientist | verb: none | adjective: scientific
🇮🇹 Compound noun, not 'scienza del cervello' but one unit
⭐ Key role in the workplace learning examples – essential for understanding the training methods described
mentornounneutral

an experienced person who helps and teaches someone less experienced

📝 “Mentors are experienced workers who teach others.”

Goes with: experienced mentor, mentor someone, find a mentor
Family: noun: mentor, mentoring | verb: mentor | adjective: mentoring
🇮🇹 Same word in Italian but pronunciation differs: /ˈmentɔr/ in English
⭐ Critical for understanding employee engagement and participation in learning
get involvedphrasal verbneutral

to start participating actively in something

📝 “People are so busy that only if learning affects the job they're doing right now will they get involved.”

Goes with: get involved in, become involved, actively involved
Family: noun: involvement | verb: involve | adjective: involved
🇮🇹 Use 'get involved' not 'involve themselves' which sounds unnatural
⭐ Essential concept for understanding what learners need to focus on
knowledge gapsnoun phrase/collocationneutral

things we do not know yet; missing information

📝 “The brain then shows us our knowledge gaps.”

Goes with: identify gaps, fill the gap, gap in knowledge
Family: noun: knowledge, gap | verb: know | adjective: knowledgeable
🇮🇹 Fixed collocation where 'gap' means empty space or missing part
⭐ Important for understanding employee motivation in the Orange example
job securitynoun phrase/collocationneutral

the certainty that your job is permanent and safe

📝 “They keep their job security.”

Goes with: maintain job security, lose job security, guarantee job security
Family: noun: security | verb: secure | adjective: secure
🇮🇹 Fixed collocation: always 'job security' not 'work security'
⭐ Key action in the workplace learning examples that shows practical application
join new teamsverb phrase/collocationneutral

to become a member of a different working group

📝 “The employees join new teams immediately.”

Goes with: join a team, join the company, join forces
Family: noun: joint | verb: join | adjective: joint
🇮🇹 Use 'join' not 'enter in' which is Italian interference from 'entrare in'
⭐ Important for understanding how the brain learns – enriches comprehension of the science
processes informationverb phrase/collocationneutral

to work with information in order to understand it

📝 “The brain processes information while we rest.”

Goes with: process data, information processing, mental processes
Family: noun: process, processing | verb: process | adjective: processed
🇮🇹 False friend: not 'processa' which doesn't exist in English in this sense
⭐ Useful for understanding effective training methods and can be applied to own learning
chunksnouninformal

small pieces or sections of something larger

📝 “Breaking training into chunks works better than full-day sessions.”

Goes with: break into chunks, chunk of information, in chunks
Family: noun: chunk | verb: chunk | adjective: chunky
🇮🇹 Informal word for segments or parts, more casual than 'sections'
⭐ Important learning strategy that students can apply to their own study
reflectionnounneutral

thinking carefully about what you have learned

📝 “This allows reflection.”

Goes with: time for reflection, self-reflection, reflect on
Family: noun: reflection | verb: reflect | adjective: reflective
🇮🇹 Not physical reflection (mirror) but mental thinking about something
⭐ Provides context about the expert but not essential for main ideas
psychologistnounformal

a scientist who studies how people think and behave

📝 “Matthew Lieberman is a psychologist.”

Goes with: clinical psychologist, social psychologist, consult a psychologist
Family: noun: psychology, psychologist | verb: none | adjective: psychological
🇮🇹 Spelling differs from Italian 'psicologo' – note the 'ch' pronunciation
⭐ Technical term that adds depth but text can be understood without it
working memorynoun phrase/collocationformal

the part of the brain that holds information for a short time

📝 “The brain shifts information from working memory into storage.”

Goes with: short-term memory, memory capacity, memory storage
Family: noun: memory, work | verb: memorize, work | adjective: memorable
🇮🇹 Technical term in neuroscience, fixed collocation
⭐ Idiomatic expression that adds color but meaning can be inferred from context
tick boxesphrasal verb/idiominformal

to complete requirements without real learning or value

📝 “Compliance courses tick boxes.”

Goes with: tick box exercise, just ticking boxes, box-ticking
Family: noun: tick, box | verb: tick | adjective: none
🇮🇹 Idiomatic expression meaning to do something superficially, not literal 'spuntare caselle'
⭐ Interesting example of peer learning but specific to one company case
swap skillsverb phrase/collocationinformal

to exchange abilities or knowledge with another person

📝 “At Infinox, dealers and relationship managers swap skills.”

Goes with: swap places, swap roles, skill exchange
Family: noun: swap, skill | verb: swap | adjective: skilled
🇮🇹 'Swap' means exchange, more informal than 'scambiare'
⭐ Descriptive word that adds nuance but not blocking comprehension
fortunateadjectiveneutral

lucky; having good things happen

📝 “This is fortunate.”

Goes with: very fortunate, fortunate enough, feel fortunate
Family: noun: fortune | verb: none | adjective: fortunate
🇮🇹 Not exactly 'fortunato' (lucky by chance) but more 'favorable' or 'beneficial'

📖 Complete Vocabulary Reference

All vocabulary items organized by theme:

Workplace Learning Vocabulary

Core terms describing how people learn at work

practice with their handsverb phrase/collocationneutral

to do practical activities to learn by doing

📝 “Workers need to practice with their hands.”

Goes with: hands-on practice, practical training, practice skills
Family: noun: practice | verb: practice | adjective: practical
🇮🇹 Italian speakers may literally translate 'con le mani' but this is an idiom meaning hands-on practice
mentornounneutral

an experienced person who helps and teaches someone less experienced

📝 “Mentors are experienced workers who teach others.”

Goes with: experienced mentor, mentor someone, find a mentor
Family: noun: mentor, mentoring | verb: mentor | adjective: mentoring
🇮🇹 Same word in Italian but pronunciation differs: /ˈmentɔr/ in English
job securitynoun phrase/collocationneutral

the certainty that your job is permanent and safe

📝 “They keep their job security.”

Goes with: maintain job security, lose job security, guarantee job security
Family: noun: security | verb: secure | adjective: secure
🇮🇹 Fixed collocation: always 'job security' not 'work security'
join new teamsverb phrase/collocationneutral

to become a member of a different working group

📝 “The employees join new teams immediately.”

Goes with: join a team, join the company, join forces
Family: noun: joint | verb: join | adjective: joint
🇮🇹 Use 'join' not 'enter in' which is Italian interference from 'entrare in'
swap skillsverb phrase/collocationinformal

to exchange abilities or knowledge with another person

📝 “At Infinox, dealers and relationship managers swap skills.”

Goes with: swap places, swap roles, skill exchange
Family: noun: swap, skill | verb: swap | adjective: skilled
🇮🇹 'Swap' means exchange, more informal than 'scambiare'
get involvedphrasal verbneutral

to start participating actively in something

📝 “People are so busy that only if learning affects the job they're doing right now will they get involved.”

Goes with: get involved in, become involved, actively involved
Family: noun: involvement | verb: involve | adjective: involved
🇮🇹 Use 'get involved' not 'involve themselves' which sounds unnatural

Brain and Learning Vocabulary

Terms related to how the brain learns and processes information

brain sciencenoun/compound nounneutral

the study of how the brain works

📝 “Brain science shows us why.”

Goes with: modern brain science, brain research, neuroscience
Family: noun: brain, science, scientist | verb: none | adjective: scientific
🇮🇹 Compound noun, not 'scienza del cervello' but one unit
psychologistnounformal

a scientist who studies how people think and behave

📝 “Matthew Lieberman is a psychologist.”

Goes with: clinical psychologist, social psychologist, consult a psychologist
Family: noun: psychology, psychologist | verb: none | adjective: psychological
🇮🇹 Spelling differs from Italian 'psicologo' – note the 'ch' pronunciation
knowledge gapsnoun phrase/collocationneutral

things we do not know yet; missing information

📝 “The brain then shows us our knowledge gaps.”

Goes with: identify gaps, fill the gap, gap in knowledge
Family: noun: knowledge, gap | verb: know | adjective: knowledgeable
🇮🇹 Fixed collocation where 'gap' means empty space or missing part
processes informationverb phrase/collocationneutral

to work with information in order to understand it

📝 “The brain processes information while we rest.”

Goes with: process data, information processing, mental processes
Family: noun: process, processing | verb: process | adjective: processed
🇮🇹 False friend: not 'processa' which doesn't exist in English in this sense
working memorynoun phrase/collocationformal

the part of the brain that holds information for a short time

📝 “The brain shifts information from working memory into storage.”

Goes with: short-term memory, memory capacity, memory storage
Family: noun: memory, work | verb: memorize, work | adjective: memorable
🇮🇹 Technical term in neuroscience, fixed collocation
reflectionnounneutral

thinking carefully about what you have learned

📝 “This allows reflection.”

Goes with: time for reflection, self-reflection, reflect on
Family: noun: reflection | verb: reflect | adjective: reflective
🇮🇹 Not physical reflection (mirror) but mental thinking about something

Training Methods Vocabulary

Words describing different ways to organize learning

chunksnouninformal

small pieces or sections of something larger

📝 “Breaking training into chunks works better than full-day sessions.”

Goes with: break into chunks, chunk of information, in chunks
Family: noun: chunk | verb: chunk | adjective: chunky
🇮🇹 Informal word for segments or parts, more casual than 'sections'
tick boxesphrasal verb/idiominformal

to complete requirements without real learning or value

📝 “Compliance courses tick boxes.”

Goes with: tick box exercise, just ticking boxes, box-ticking
Family: noun: tick, box | verb: tick | adjective: none
🇮🇹 Idiomatic expression meaning to do something superficially, not literal 'spuntare caselle'
fortunateadjectiveneutral

lucky; having good things happen

📝 “This is fortunate.”

Goes with: very fortunate, fortunate enough, feel fortunate
Family: noun: fortune | verb: none | adjective: fortunate
🇮🇹 Not exactly 'fortunato' (lucky by chance) but more 'favorable' or 'beneficial'

🎮 Practice Activities

Collocation Matching

Match the verbs on the left with the correct noun phrases on the right

practice
join
swap
get
process
maintain
information
job security
with their hands
new teams
involved
skills

Gap Fill

Complete the sentences with the correct word from the box: mentor, chunks, reflection, gaps, brain science

After the training session, take time for _____ on what you learned.

Modern _____ helps us understand how people learn best.

Breaking information into small _____ makes it easier to remember.

A good _____ can help you develop new skills at work.

The test showed me my knowledge _____ in grammar.

Word Formation

Complete the sentences using the correct form of the word in brackets

Workers need more _____ (practice) training, not just theory.

The company offers _____ (mentor) programs for new employees.

Employee _____ (involve) in training improved after the changes.

She is very _____ (knowledge) about brain science.

The brain _____ (process) new information during sleep.

Gap Fill Multiple Choice

Choose the correct phrasal verb or collocation to complete each sentence

New employees _____ different departments to learn various skills.

At our company, experienced and new workers _____ knowledge regularly.

Employees will only _____ if the training is relevant to their current work.

Many workers worry about losing their _____.

Compliance training often just _____ without real learning.