learning culture essay

Published May 12, 2022
11 Minute Read

Cultivate a Learning Culture Within Your Organization

image of lightbulbs on purple background representing learning culture concept

How to Create a Learning Culture & Why It’s So Important

Many companies and teams have been affected in some way by what’s been deemed the “Great Resignation.” Whether you’ve personally made a career shift, have scaled back work to care for loved ones during the pandemic, have stepped in to cover your departing colleagues’ responsibilities, or are charged with retaining employees in your organization, we’ve all felt the impact of the staggering statistics of employees resigning.

Many employees are eager to find more meaning or growth in their jobs and are searching for a better place to work, and at the same time, organizations are feeling pressed to find and keep the best talent for the future. To stay competitive in this work environment, organizations must intentionally create cultures that attract, develop, and retain talent so they can successfully execute new strategies for the changing world.

How can your organization create a culture that puts learning at the forefront — in a way that’s practical, behavioral, and scalable — in order to have the greatest impact on employee engagement? It starts with planting seeds for a learning culture to thrive.

What Is a Learning Culture?

A learning culture is an environment that demonstrates and encourages individual and organizational learning, and where both gaining and sharing knowledge is prioritized, valued, and rewarded. It becomes part of the ecosystem of the organization.

While it’s no small feat, there are 4 important components that can help transform your organization’s current culture into a learning culture.

How to Cultivate a Learning Culture at Your Organization

infographic with text "4 components to cultivating a learning culture"

4 Components to Building a Learning Culture

1. attract and develop agile learners..

If you’re looking to upskill your workforce or perhaps reskill yourself, learning agility is one of the most critical skillsets to develop. Our research at CCL has long shown that the most successful leaders with the longest careers have the key leadership trait of learning agility .

Learning-agile leaders exemplify a growth mindset by learning from experience, challenging perspectives, remaining curious, and seeking new experiences. (Not sure if that’s you? Here’s how to become a more agile learner .)

Because employees with learning agility continue to grow their skills and capabilities regardless of their current job, these individuals are in demand in the quest for talent. The workplace of yesterday no longer exists, and organizations need agile learners who understand how to transfer their current skillset to solve new problems and build capabilities for tomorrow.

When hiring new talent: Seek out team members who learn from experience and challenge perspectives. Look for the critical skill of learning agility by asking interviewees how they’ve approached difficult situations in the past, how they’ve learned from mistakes, and how they prepare themselves for new challenges. Inquire about how they’ve applied their learnings to their next opportunity.
For your current team members: Encourage people to remain curious and open. Provide ample opportunities for on-the-job learning and stretch assignments, along with support in the form of tools, mentoring, and coaching. Provide access to development opportunities for employees across your organization — don’t just limit skill-building to a small subset deemed “high potentials.”

Building a learning culture that democratizes leadership development and values a growth mindset will help you attract and retain a workforce that truly wants to learn, and help others learn as well.

2. Create an environment that supports psychological safety.

Looking at the teams and groups in your organization, are you fostering the trust and collaboration needed to sustain a strong learning culture? By creating safe spaces to be open and take interpersonal risks, you can build a foundation of psychological safety at work and encourage the learning that contributes to innovation and productivity.

Psychological safety is about promoting risk-taking and candor in a group, to create a secure environment for optimal learning. It’s the belief that candor is welcome, that employees can ask questions often and early, and that people can freely admit mistakes without fear of retribution.

Encourage team members (especially senior leaders) to admit mistakes openly and share stories of “failing forward.” Also, make sure executives know how to encourage innovation, not unintentionally sabotage and undermine it.

Ensuring leaders can create psychological safety for their teams allows team members to learn collectively and leads to a strong learning culture in your organization, where groups are willing to find lessons in setbacks and hardships, listen to one another, and invite differing opinions and candid conversations.

Remember, it’s not about being polite, but rather about being open . The openness to take interpersonal risks and glean lessons from mistakes to achieve something greater signifies a culture where growth is valued, which leads to a stronger organization that puts learning in the forefront.

Key tips and takeaways:

Promote risk-taking and transparency within your organization.
Encourage team members to ask questions often and early.
Welcome candor and encourage employees, as well as the senior leadership team, to admit mistakes and share lessons learned, without fear of consequence.

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Watch our webinar, How Leaders and Leadership Collectives Can Increase Psychological Safety at Work , and learn how to promote psychological safety to foster trust, creativity, collaboration, and innovation across your organization.

3. Encourage better conversations and feedback throughout the organization.

When determining how to cultivate learning culture, remember that effective communication and feedback should be woven throughout the organization and be encouraged and expected as a part of the norm. When feedback becomes a part of regular conversations, employees are aware of their personal developmental areas, resulting in continuous gains and fewer surprises at end-of-year reviews.

Giving feedback routinely and well often dramatically improves your talent development — but requires a particular skillset, which can fortunately be developed.

Encourage employees to give, and seek, both positive and developmental feedback. Positive feedback can help them leverage what’s working well already, and developmental feedback allows them to see what can be improved upon or done differently to have greater impact.

Because a conversation, by definition, involves 2 or more people, the collective communication competency of an organization is greatly enhanced when all employees are knowledgeable and skilled at holding high-quality conversations. Put simply, better culture starts with better conversations .

And that’s why our clients who have partnered with us to scale our conversational skills training across their organizations have seen such positive results: When a critical mass of people shares a common understanding around what constitutes an effective conversation, it allows new skills to be applied to everyday work, and to spread organically through the organization. Widely applied, improved conversational skills benefit the organization by creating more robust, innovative, stress-tested solutions and a more dynamic and psychologically safe, learning culture.

Improve coaching and conversational skills across your entire organization with research-based, scalable training that helps build a common leadership language.
Participate in meaningful conversations and provide valuable, actionable feedback.
Encourage everyone in your organization to listen to one another and seek constructive feedback.

4. Make learning an explicit organizational priority.

If you want to show that learning is a real priority within your organization, send clear signals to your workforce that you’re all in.

Examine your policies, rewards systems, and opportunities to establish and reinforce a learning culture. Consider making these types of scheduled events a common practice at your organization:

Lunch-and-learns, where senior leaders are storytellers who share their experiences and what they’ve learned recently and throughout their career journeys.
After-action reviews, where teams regularly take a few minutes to share what they learned from a project or experience.
Learning communities, where individuals can share what they’ve learned with similarly situated peers, and they can discuss together how they’re applying these learnings in their everyday work.
Designated development days, where team- or company-wide sharing of lessons learned is expected and honored.

To show that your organization believes that learning is for everyone, make development opportunities inclusive and accessible across the entire organization. The practice of scaling learning will be unique for every organization, but be sure to provide an array of opportunities for “ soft skill development ” in a wide array of delivery formats to meet learner needs and abilities, including options that are asynchronous, in-person, self-paced, and virtual. (We’ve found that there are many unexpected benefits of using online learning for leadership development .)

Also, to ensure that you’re building a true learning culture, provide organizational support for learning not only in the form of tools and resources, but also by providing the necessary time and space for growth. Encourage leaders to allocate time for themselves and to set aside time for their teams to absorb and practice new skills.

When every employee sees that the organization values both individual and collective growth, you’ll strengthen your learning culture and gain commitment from your team members.

Create a strong learning culture by making it an explicit organizational priority.
Examine company policies, rewards systems, and career development opportunities — what’s missing and what can be improved?
Consider making these types of scheduled events a common practice at your organization: lunch-and-learns, after-action reviews, learning communities, designated development days.

Build a Learning Culture That’s Tailored to Your Organization

To tailor your learning strategy to your organization, make sure to align your business strategy and leadership development opportunities , as well as your organization’s broader values, language, and brand. Examine the capabilities needed both today and into the future, and ask employees what type of development would be most valuable for them, as well as how they prefer to learn.

It’s important to acknowledge that not everyone is in a place to jump in right away. Keep in mind that behavior change is difficult. Meet people where they are, encouraging small steps, risk-taking, and sharing through peer support. Use metrics to keep a pulse on what’s resonating and having an impact so that you can adapt as needed and evolve your learning culture strategy as you grow.

Every organization is different, so the path to truly creating a culture of learning that will become a part of the ecosystem will be different as well. But with an intentional focus and commitment from the leadership team, you can plant the seeds today that allow a learning culture to flourish at your organization — resulting in a more agile work environment that’s prepared for the challenges of tomorrow.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Build a learning culture in your organization by democratizing access to development opportunities. Take advantage of CCL Passport™ , which gives you unlimited access to our world-renowned content and our most comprehensive package of proven, transformative leadership solutions. If you license our content , you can bring our proven research, programs, and tools in-house to leaders at all levels of your organization.

Frequently Asked Questions About a Learning Culture

Why is a learning culture important? Building a learning culture at your organization is an important factor in attracting, developing, and retaining top talent, particularly during today’s rapidly-changing work environment. Many employees are looking to find more purpose, meaning, and growth opportunities in their jobs, and organizations must deliver. Leadership teams must prioritize the importance of gaining and sharing knowledge, and create equitable access to opportunities for growth and career development.
How do you cultivate a learning culture? There are 4 key components to building a learning culture, including attracting and developing agile leaders, creating a psychologically safe environment, encouraging better conversations and candid feedback, and prioritizing learning throughout the organization. Finally, organizations must develop a learning culture that’s tailored to their unique challenges and context, ensuring that their learning strategy aligns with their business strategy as well as their values, brand, and development goals.
What is an example of a learning culture? An organization that cultivates a learning culture is one that demonstrates and encourages individual and organizational learning, by both gaining and sharing knowledge. For example, an organization that fosters a learning culture demonstrates psychological safety and may encourage everyone to seek constructive feedback during quarterly one-on-ones or during more casual conversations. Others may host lunch-and-learns where senior leaders share their experiences throughout their career, or they may organize learning communities where individuals can share what they’ve learned with peers. Finally, a company with a strong learning culture may implement designated development days where team- or company-wide sharing is expected and honored. Keep in mind that the most effective learning cultures should implement several of these tactics as opposed to just one.

More questions? Our experts are here to help. Let’s have a conversation!

Stephanie leads a team that develops proven, research-based leadership development products and solutions. With over 20 years of experience in the learning and development field, she has designed, facilitated, and managed numerous human-centered leadership solutions with a focus on impact and application to make the learning stick.

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Essays about Culture and Identity: 9 Examples And Prompts

Writing essays about culture and identity will help you explore your understanding of it. Here are examples that will give you inspiration for your next essay.

Culture can refer to customs, traditions, beliefs, lifestyles, laws, artistic expressions, and other elements that cultivate the collective identity. Different cultures are established across nations, regions, communities, and social groups. They are passed on from generation to generation while others evolve or are abolished to give way to modern beliefs and systems.

While our cultural identity begins at home, it changes as we involve ourselves with other groups (friends, educational institutions, social media communities, political groups, etc.) Culture is a very relatable subject as every person is part of a culture or at least can identify with one. Because it spans broad coverage, there are several interesting cultural subjects to write about.

Our culture and identity are dynamic. This is why you may find it challenging to write about it. To spark your inspiration, check out our picks of the best culture essays.

1. Sweetness and Light by Matthew Arnolds

2. how auto-tune revolutionized the sound of popular music by simon reynolds, 3. how immigration changes language by john mcwhorter, 4. the comfort zone: growing up with charlie brown by jonathan franzen, 5. culture and identity definition by sandra graham, 6. how culture and surroundings influence identity by jeanette lucas, 7. how the food we eat reflects our culture and identity by sophia stephens, 8. identity and culture: my identity, culture, and identity by april casas, 9. how america hinders the cultural identity of their own citizens by seth luna, 1. answer the question, “who am i”, 2. causes of culture shock, 3. your thoughts on dystopia and utopia, 4. gender inequality from a global perspective, 5. the most interesting things you learned from other cultures, 6. the relationship between cultural identity and clothes, 7. describe your culture, 8. what is the importance of honoring your roots , 9. how can a person adapt to a new culture, 10. what artistic works best express your country’s culture, 11. how has social media influenced human interaction, 12. how do you protect the cultures of indigenous peoples, 13. are k-pop and k-drama sensations effectively promoting korea’s culture , 14. what is the importance of cultural diversity.

“… [A]nd when every man may say what he likes, our aspirations ought to be satisfied. But the aspirations of culture, which is the study of perfection, are not satisfied, unless what men say, when they may say what they like, is worth saying,—has good in it, and more good than bad.”

Arnolds compels a re-examination of values at a time when England is leading global industrialization and beginning to believe that greatness is founded on material progress.

The author elaborates why culture, the strive for a standard of perfection, is not merely driven by scientific passions and, more so, by materialistic affluence. As he esteems religion as “that voice of the deepest human experience” to harmonize men in establishing that ideal society, Arnolds stresses that culture is the effort to “make reason and the will of God prevail” while humanizing gained knowledge to be society’s source of “sweetness and light.”

“Few innovations in sound production have been simultaneously so reviled and so revolutionary. Epoch-defining or epoch-defacing, Auto-Tune is indisputably the sound of the 21st century so far.”

Reynolds shows how Auto-Tune has shaped a pop music genre that has cut across cultures. The article maps out the music landscape Auto-Tune created and examines its impact on the culture of song productions and the modern taste for music. While the author debunks accusations that Auto-Tune destroyed the “natural” process of creating music, he also points out that the technology earned its reverence with big thanks to society’s current custom of using technology to hide blemishes and other imperfections.

Looking for more? Check out these essays about culture shock .

“… [T]he heavy immigration that countries like Italy are experiencing will almost certainly birth new kinds of Italian that are rich with slang, somewhat less elaborate than the standard, and… widely considered signs of linguistic deterioration, heralding a future where the “original” standard language no longer exists.”

American linguist McWhorter pacifies fears over the death of “standard” languages amid the wave of immigration to Europe. On the contrary, language is a vital expression of a culture, and for some, preserving is tantamount to upholding a cultural standard.

However, instead of seeing the rise of new “multiethnolects” such as the Black English in America and Kiezdeutsch in Germany as threats to language and culture, McWhorter sees them as a new way to communicate and better understand the social groups that forayed these new languages.

“I wonder why “cartoonish” remains such a pejorative. It took me half my life to achieve seeing my parents as cartoons. And to become more perfectly a cartoon myself: what a victory that would be.”

This essay begins with a huge fight between Franzen’s brother and father to show how the cultural generation gap sweeping the 60s has hit closer to home. This generation gap, where young adults were rejecting the elders’ old ways in pursuit of a new and better culture, will also be the reason why his family ends up drifting apart. Throughout the essay, Franzen treads this difficult phase in his youth while narrating fondly how Peanuts, a pop culture icon at the time, was his source of escape.

“…Culture is… your background… and Identity is formed where you belong to… Leopold Sedar Senghor and Shirley Geok-Lin Lim both talks about how culture and identity can impact… society…”

In this essay, Graham uses “To New York” by Senghor and “Learning To Love America” by Lim as two pieces of literature that effectively describe the role of culture and identity to traveling individuals.

The author refers to Sengho’s reminder that people can adapt but must not forget their culture even if they go to a different place or country. On the other hand, Lim discusses immigrants’ struggle to have double identities.

“Culture is something that surrounds all of us and progress to shape our lives every day… Identity is illustrated as the state of mind in which someone or something distinguishes their own character traits that lead to determining who they really are, what they represent.”

Lucas is keen on giving examples of how his culture and surroundings influence an individual’s identity. She refers to Kothari’s “If you are what you eat, then what am I?” which discusses Kothari’s search for her identity depending on what food she eats. Food defines a person’s culture and identity, so Kothari believes that eating food from different countries will change his identity.

Lucas also refers to “Down These Mean Streets” by Piri Thomas, which argues how different cultural and environmental factors affect us. Because of what we encounter, there is a possibility that we will become someone who we are not.

“What we grow is who we are. What we buy is who we are. What we eat is who we are.”

Stephens’ essay teaches its readers that the food we grow and eat defines us as a person. She explains that growing a crop and harvesting it takes a lot of effort, dedication, and patience, which mirrors our identity.

Another metaphor she used is planting rice: it takes skills and knowledge to make it grow. Cooking rice is more accessible than cultivating it – you can quickly cook rice by boiling it in water. This reflects people rich in culture and tradition but who lives simpler life.

“Every single one has their own unique identity and culture. Culture plays a big role in shaping your identity. Culture is what made me the person I am today and determines who or what I choose to associate myself with.”

Casas starts her piece by questioning who she is. In trying to learn and define who she is, she writes down and describes herself and her personality throughout the essay. Finally, she concludes that her culture is a big part of her identity, and she must understand it to understand herself.

“When it comes to these stereotypes we place on each other, a lot of the time, we succumb to the stereotypes given to us. And our cultural identity is shaped by these expectations and labels others give us. That is why negative stereotypes sometimes become true for a whole group or community.”

In this essay, Luna talks about how negative stereotyping in the United States led to moral distortion. For example, Americans are assumed to be ignorant of other countries’ cultures, making it difficult to understand other people’s cultures and lifestyles.

She believes that stereotyping can significantly affect an individual or group’s identity. She suggests Americans should improve their intellectual competence by being sensitive to other people’s cultures.

14 Prompts on Essays about Culture and Identity

You can discuss many things on the subject of culture and identity. To give you a starting point, here are some prompts to help you write an exciting essay about culture.

If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips and our round-up of the best essay checkers .

Understanding your personality is vital since continuous interaction with others can affect your personality. Write about your culture and identity; what is your personality? How do you define yourself? Everyone is unique, so by writing an essay about who you are, you’ll be able to understand why you act a certain way and connect with readers who have the same values.

Here’s a guide on writing a descriptive essay to effectively relay your experience to your readers.

Sometimes, people need to get out of their comfort zone and interact with other individuals with different cultures, beliefs, or traditions. This is to broaden one’s perspective about the world. Aside from discussing what you’ve learned in that journey, you can also focus on the bits that shocked you.

You can talk about a tradition or value that you found so bizarre because it differs from your culture. Then add how you processed it and finally adapted to it.

Essays about Culture and Identity: Your Thoughts on Dystopia and Utopia

Dystopia and Utopia are both imagined worlds. Dystopia is a world where people live in the worst or most unfavorable conditions, while Utopia is the opposite.

You can write an essay about what you think a Dystopian or Utopian world may look like, how these societies will affect their citizens, etc. Then, consider what personality citizens of each world may have to depend on the two worlds’ cultures.

Today, more and more people are fighting for others to accept or at least respect the LGBTQ+ community. However, countries, territories, and religions still question their rights.

In your essay, you can talk about why these institutions react the way they do and how culture dictates someone’s identity in the wrong way. Before creating your own, feel free to read other essays and articles to learn more about the global gender inequality issue.

The world has diverse cultures, traditions, and values. When you travel to a new place, learning and writing about your firsthand experiences with unique cultures and rituals will always be an interesting read.

In this prompt, you’ll research other cultures and how they shaped their group’s identity. Then, write about the most exciting aspects you’ve learned, why you found them fascinating, and how they differ from your culture.

Those proud of their culture will wear clothes inspired by them. Some wear the same clothes even if they aren’t from the same culture. The debate over cultural appropriation and culture appreciation is still a hot topic.

In this essay, you may start with the traditions of your community or observances your family celebrates and gathers for. Then, elaborate on their origins and describe how your community or family is preserving these practices.

Learning about your roots, ancestors, and family cultures can help strengthen your understanding of your identity and foster respect for other cultures. Explore this topic and offer examples of what others have learned. Has the journey always been a positive experience? Delve into this question for an engaging and interesting essay.

When a person moves country, it can be challenging to adapt to a new culture. If there are new people at work or school, you can interview them and ask how they are coping with their new environment. How different is this from what they have been used to, and what unique traditions do they find interesting?

Focus on an art piece that is a source of pride and identity to your country’s culture, much like the Tinikling of the Philippines or the Matryoshka dolls of Russia. Explore its origins and evolution up to its current manifestation and highlight efforts that are striving to protect and promote these artistic works.

The older generation did not have computers in their teen years. Ask about how they dated in their younger years and how they made friends. Contrast how the younger generation is building their social networks today. Write what culture of socialization works better for you and explain why.

Take in-depth navigation of existing policies that protect indigenous peoples. Are they sufficient to serve these communities needs, and are they being implemented effectively? There is also the challenge of balancing the protection of these traditions against the need to protect the environment, as some indigenous practices add to the carbon footprint. How is your government dealing with this challenge?

A large population is now riding the Hallyu or the Korean pop culture, with many falling in love with the artists and Korea’s food, language, and traditional events. Research how certain Korean films, TV series, or music have effectively attracted fans to experience Korea’s culture. Write about what countries can learn from Korea in promoting their own cultures.

Environments that embrace cultural diversity are productive and innovative. To start your essay, assess how diverse your workplace or school is. Then, write your personal experiences where working with co-workers or classmates from different cultures led to new and innovative ideas and projects. Combine this with the personal experiences of your boss or the principal to see how your environment benefits from hosting a melting pot of cultures.

If you aim for your article to effectively change readers’ perspectives and align with your opinion, read our guide to achieving persuasive writing .

Aisling is an Irish journalist and content creator with a BA in Journalism & New Media. She has bylines in OK! Magazine, Metro, The Inquistr, and the Irish Examiner. She loves to read horror and YA. Find Aisling on LinkedIn .

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Building a learning culture that drives business forward

In this episode of The McKinsey Podcast , Diane Brady speaks with Elizabeth Young McNally and Matthew Smith about how individuals and organizations can build skills and create a learning culture. An edited transcript of their conversation follows.

Diane Brady: Hello and welcome to The McKinsey Podcast . I’m Diane Brady. We all think we can learn. But it’s more of an acquired skill than you think. And there is a reason why most company learning programs don’t work. Joining me today are two McKinsey partners who can tell us a lot about the fundamental and underappreciated skill of learning, not just how we improve that skill as individuals, but also how we nurture it in others, and how we create a real learning culture in our companies. Elizabeth Young McNally is a global leader of the McKinsey Academy out of Stamford, Connecticut. And Matthew Smith is McKinsey’s chief learning officer based in Paris. Liz and Matt, welcome.

Matthew Smith: Thanks, Diane.

Elizabeth Young McNally: Thank you.

Diane Brady: Let’s start by talking a little bit about where you sit in this universe. Tell us what you do. Matt, I’ll start with you.

Matthew Smith: I am the chief learning officer here at McKinsey. What that means is I look after the learning and development of all of our 30,000-plus colleagues globally. That involves deeply understanding what the needs of our people are in terms of the capabilities they need to be successful, not only within McKinsey but also in their broader careers.

And then I turn that into a set of offerings that they can take advantage of—like leadership-development programs, internal and external courses—and make sure that we’re meeting those needs. That’s my job in a normal year.

In this very abnormal environment that we’re in now, where obviously many people are not able to go to in-person programs or attend live learning sessions, we’ve also been working very hard to ensure that all of our offerings are fit for the moment that we’re in. We’ve been doing a lot over this past year in particular to pivot much of what we do to digital and distance formats.

Diane Brady: I know from remote schooling that it’s a challenge to transfer to a digital environment. Before I go on to Liz, it sounds a little like you crowdsource programs. That’s not quite accurate, is it?

Matthew Smith: Well, I wouldn’t say we crowdsource. But we try to get the best of what’s offered externally and combine that with things that we create ourselves for our own people. I’ll give you an example. A skill like how to lead a McKinsey project team or how to solve problems in a very McKinsey-specific way, that’s not something that we can just source from the outside world.

It’s something we have to build for ourselves, for our own people. But, on the other hand, if we’re trying to teach people how to code in Python or the fundamentals of machine learning and artificial intelligence, there’s actually a lot of great material out there.

Over the past few years, there’s been just an explosion of external content available on sites like Coursera and Udemy and LinkedIn. We want to tap into that. We want to make sure that we offer our colleagues a mix of internally created programs for that very McKinsey-specific content, as well as the best of external content on skills that we don’t really need to reinvent the wheel on.

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Mckinsey academy and capability building.

Diane Brady: Liz, let’s go to you. Talk about the McKinsey Academy and what drew you to that.

Elizabeth Young McNally: Sure. McKinsey Academy is our entity at the firm for building our clients’ capabilities. We help organizations achieve and sustain transformational impact by building the individual and organizational skills in areas that are required to sustain the transformations we do.

So, for example, if we’re serving a client on a digital transformation, we can embed McKinsey Academy offerings around the skills that those leaders will need to be able to lead and sustain that transformation. And similar to firm learning, it comes from the same core hybrid approach of blending together virtual programs, digital programs, reinforcements, field works, and other elements to enable our clients to acquire, apply, and sustain the skills that they will need.

Diane Brady: I’m intrigued. I was looking at your military background, which I often associate with leadership. Is that something that’s informed a little bit about how you approach the job?

Elizabeth Young McNally: A hundred percent. I went to West Point, which is one of the world’s foremost, if not the foremost, leadership institution. The leadership lessons I learned in the military had a fundamental effect on me and how I serve clients and think about leadership development.

What I would add, though, is the military is not just a leadership organization. It’s fundamentally a learning and capability-building one as well. Look at how much time militaries spend on building skills. Fundamentally, that is the bread and butter of what militaries do as well. And so it has prepared me for this role, not just from the leadership angle, but also for an appreciation of how important good capability building is.

Learning how to learn

Diane Brady: I’m a curious person. I ask a lot of questions. And ergo I think of myself as a good learner, but not necessarily so. Matt, what are the fundamental tenets of learning how to learn?

Matthew Smith: This is a topic I’m really passionate about. Because I think what you just said, Diane, “learning how to learn,” is a phrase that we don’t hear enough these days. There’s a lot of talk about the need for people to have a learning mindset or build new skills. But there’s not enough attention on the fact that learning itself is a skill.

Diane Brady: But we think we have it already, right?

Matthew Smith: We all think we have it. So we might say, “I’m a fast learner” or “I’m a slow learner” or “I learn in this way or that way.” But, actually, a lot of the underlying research—there are several strands of research—shows that people can actually build skills to learn new skills.

We think of this as one of the most fundamental capabilities that a person can develop for themselves. It makes you better at getting better at things. It makes you better able to adapt to the changing environment that we all face these days. This idea of learning as a skill, in and of itself, is a fundamental one, and one that we talk to a lot of our clients about and, frankly, a lot of our colleagues as well. Because they’re also curious. They want to learn. But they need to be taught. Back in school, you might have thought about this as study skills. How do I organize myself in order to get my schoolwork done? But there’s a much more sophisticated version of that when you think about adult learners that I think we all need to invest in more.

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How organizations can promote learning.

Diane Brady: I’m curious, Liz, when you look at companies, what’s usually missing?

Elizabeth Young McNally: There can be a few different things missing. The interest matters, of course. But one of the most important hallmarks at the company or the organizational level is a long-term growth orientation that naturally favors learning.

I can share some anecdotes that really help to bring that to life in terms of what some of those ingredients are. Some elements that I have seen in organizations that are successful at doing this start with storytelling and role modeling by senior leaders that learning and long-term perspective are important.

How are they talking about that and demonstrating in their actions that they’re doing that? Secondly, are they putting their money where their mouth is? Are they investing in the types of learning programs, reskilling programs, even explicit in expectations of time spent on learning?

How are they doing that? How are they, in what we often call moments that matter—the beginning of a meeting or the end of a meeting—driving a culture and language of learning so that you’re constantly saying, “What are we missing?” or “How can we consider how to do this differently?”

How are we creating psychological safety so that people feel comfortable sharing ideas? And, finally, what are the formal processes that you use as well? You know, in the army they had something called the Center for Army Lessons Learned. It was a formal organization that was meant to capture learnings and then make sure the organization adapted.

Diane Brady: Like an off-site where you’d all gather together and do a weekend program. Is that what it is?

Elizabeth Young McNally: Well, that, but they would also even deploy into the battlefield to capture the lessons in real time. So it was both. But it was more of what is the formal mechanism to ensure that the learning and the continuous improvement actually happen and that there is a learning loop.

Those are just some of the examples of elements that I’ve seen organizations use to help, at the company level, think about learning. We talk a lot about the individual. But the other one is really the team. Is the team environment set up to enable learning too?

Becoming a better learner

Diane Brady: I want to get a little more of a sense of the two of you as individuals. Because you are both people who I’m sure adapted a lot of these lessons to your own life.

Liz, in terms of some of the key lessons that you’ve learned either from your work at McKinsey, the military, et cetera, what have you found to be effective techniques that really helped you become a better learner?

One of the fundamental lessons I learned at West Point was you have to really learn to follow in order to learn to lead. There was quite a deliberate approach in terms of how that’s done. Elizabeth Young McNally

Elizabeth Young McNally: I’ll share a relatively profound one to start, which—again, one of the fundamental lessons I learned at West Point—was you have to really learn to follow in order to learn to lead. There was quite a deliberate approach in terms of how that’s done.

Over the weekend, I happened to be listening to a talk given by the president of Stanford University. And it was interesting. He was talking to a number of individuals who had just won a scholarship. And, of course, they’re eager to go and change the world. He made this comment about, “How did you have the excitement and urgency, but also some patience, to learn how things are done in order to then go and change them? How do you combine the urgency of now with the patience to learn to follow before you can lead?”

Diane Brady: So before going to Matt, learning to follow is more about listening than talking. What is learning to follow?

Elizabeth Young McNally: Learning to follow is listening before talking and learning how to be a contributor so that you can then lead. There are a few ways you can learn how to follow. Number one is to really appreciate and value time spent as an individual contributor and how even you can be a leader in that moment, but also that there is a role to learn the ropes first and to be intentional as you’re doing so.

And constantly noticing other elements of leadership around you and how you’re going to use those to help you become a better leader is important as well, but also this real sense that you need to understand and appreciate those other roles as you take on a greater leadership role yourself.

The ‘building blocks’ of learning

Diane Brady: Matt, you’re a very intentional learner. I know that because I’ve taken one of your courses at McKinsey, which I did not finish. I’m catching up because it is so fascinating. Talk about the lessons you’ve learned to make you a better learner. You certainly seem to be a voracious reader of management-thinking and leadership books.

Matthew Smith: Well, first I have to ask you, Diane, what did you learn from the course even if you didn’t finish it? Because now you’ve piqued my curiosity.

Diane Brady: This voracious way in which you take outside information and you adapt it to your own life is one thing that’s very powerful. The power of getting people within the program to mentor each other is not something I’ve seen.

I’m so used to modules being: here’s a video, now click through, click through. To make it a collective exercise I found very useful because I was able to interact with other people, even remotely. I also think that reminders around playing to your strengths and the prioritization and some of the techniques and tips you used were great.

To be honest, I let my work agenda get in the way of making the course a priority. So thank you for taping these things going back. That was a lesson learned for me. I have taken a lot out of it. I think that I’m better at prioritizing and making sure that I get the things done that need to be done before I get involved in busywork, which is certainly something we all do.

Matthew Smith: Well, first of all, Diane, it’s wonderful to hear the feedback. What we just did there is actually one of the things that I would recommend doing. We actually did a couple of them just in that little moment. Number one, I asked you to reflect on what you actually learned. What you did when you answered was you reinforced the learning for yourself.

Because you made sense, you put pieces together, and you said it out loud to another human being, that actually reinforces a lot of how learning happens for each of us. When we talk out loud to others, we deepen the channels in our brain that say, “OK, this is something that is important to me that I’m going to remember.”

So that’s one little piece of it. You also said something else that’s important which went into the design of that course that you took, which is we got people to support each other. Because one of the things that many companies miss when they design or roll out digital learning or modules that people can take is that a lot of learning happens through social interactions and conversations.

If you can enlist other people around you—it could be peers, it could be your manager, it could just be friends that you have in your office—in your learning and to hold each other accountable for what you’re trying to work on, that actually goes a long way to ensuring the success of the learning. Part of that is we’re all just better when we have an accountability buddy. But part of it is when you’re transparent about what you’re trying to learn or trying to work on, other people start noticing it more and can give you more helpful feedback.

So if I say to you, “Diane, I’m trying to get better at doing podcast interviews,” then after we’re done here you’re much more likely to call me up and say, “Hey, Matt, here are some things you did well. And here are some things you could work on next time,” versus if I didn’t make that learning goal clear to you. So it’s setting these goals, enlisting others in the process, talking about what you’re learning, and getting feedback. Those are some of the core building blocks that people can put in place to improve their learning.

Building a culture of learning

Diane Brady: What is a learning culture? Another term I’ve heard tossed about is the adaptable organization. What does that look like? Matt, maybe you can talk about the concept of the adaptable organization first.

There’s a huge role that organizations play in setting the context and the culture for learning. Like so many things, it starts at the top, and it starts with having a CEO or a senior leader who actually values learning and talks about it very actively. Matthew Smith

Matthew Smith: We’ve been talking thus far about learning at the individual level, a little bit at the team level, or enlisting others in it. There’s a huge role that organizations play in setting the context and the culture for learning. And there’s a few elements of this. Like so many things, it starts at the top, and it starts with having a CEO or a senior leader who actually values learning and talks about it very actively.

That to me is honestly table stakes. Because if people don’t see it as something that’s valued in the organization, they’re much less likely to do it. But I also don’t think that’s enough. Number one, is there a culture or an expectation that people are actually going to take time out to learn? Because you do a lot of learning in the flow of your work. But you actually do sometimes need to step out of the flow and invest in taking a course or studying something on your own.

Diane Brady: Do you measure it by the amount of time people take?

Matthew Smith: Well, that is one way to measure it. Some organizations do actually set goals or expectations around the number of hours people are going to spend learning. But I’m not sure that is actually the best measure. We all know you can chalk up hours doing something where you’re not really engaged.

A better way to build that into the expectations is by linking it to the way you do your performance-management or -review systems. So, for example, at McKinsey, what we’ve been working toward the past couple of years is that rather than [the learning organization] suggesting, and putting out a bunch of offerings—what we’re now doing as part of our review processes—we ask people to think about what their learning-and-development plan should be over the coming months.

So when you go through your review, whoever is doing your evaluation will get feedback. They will synthesize that for a number of themes. They will give you recommendations for what learning you should take advantage of in the coming months. And then you will take that and develop a learning-and-development plan for yourself and have an ongoing conversation with your manager or other people around you about how you’re doing against that plan. That, versus just pure counting hours, is a much more deep and effective way of embedding it into the culture.

Cultivating a growth mindset

Diane Brady: Liz, earlier in my career I heard a lot about academy companies, these companies that are so great at teaching people. They’re almost like the farm teams for many other companies in addition to being excellent themselves. It’s a very different mindset right now around the business case for this. Do these organizations actually outperform their peers?

Elizabeth Young McNally: That’s a great question. There are two types of organizations that think about this. One that uses learning and adaptability to outperform their peers, and there’s another category of organizations that I’ll come back to that, quite frankly, have to do it in order to survive. Especially right now, we’re seeing this more than ever.

On the first category of organizations using adaptability and learning to outperform their peers, there’s certainly some recent stories and examples that really bring this home. A very famous one is Microsoft and Satya Nadella, who openly cites the move toward a learning culture at Microsoft as one of the critical elements toward driving the growth that the company has experienced under his leadership.

One of the elements of that learning culture that he talks a lot about, and we talk a lot about at McKinsey Academy as well, is how to cultivate a growth mindset. This is actually a mindset. We believe, by the way, it really can be cultivated. Some people start with more of it than others, for sure. But it can get better. This is the idea of seeing challenges as opportunities to get better.

It’s not an inherent test of the value of you. But it’s an opportunity to learn, which is a really critical element—that is, critical for all organizations that want to use learning and adaptability as a way to outperform. I’m curious about Satya Nadella in part because there’s a real authenticity there around the desire to learn, the desire to create that learning culture. When you’re talking to clients, are there particular things you notice that really signal to you the willingness to really do the hard work to get this done?

One of the critical elements is the conviction from a business-unit leader. Whether it’s the CEO or the leader of the business unit that is undergoing the transformation of how important capability building is to achieving the broader impact that the organization aspires. That is an element that we really look for. The CHRO [chief human-resources officer], the head of learning and development absolutely has to be there. That conviction is often there earlier because, by the nature of being in their roles, they get it.

Building that conviction in the business leaders as well is an absolutely critical element. Some people come in with it, quite frankly, just because they’ve experienced it elsewhere or that’s how they have grown up. Others have to learn the importance of it. We find you could inspire people through the stories of others as well, by just helping them understand that a critical unlock for the organization’s success is providing those individuals in the company with the new skills that they need to succeed and creating that common language and common way of working.

Assessing skills gaps

Diane Brady: What are the tactics that companies use, especially those that do need to reinvent themselves?

Elizabeth Young McNally: It can be overwhelming when you think about all the different skills. But one place that can be helpful to start is by asking yourself, “What are the most critical skills toward driving the business value?” Some of them are technical skills. But we also find that there are more and more softer skills. These skills are also required to be an adaptable leader in the 21st century.

Diane Brady: Matt, it makes me think of an article you wrote about critical mindsets and core skills. I know that was both for individuals and for leaders, which obviously cascades up to the company level. Tell us a little bit more about those skills.

Matthew Smith: I also want to piggyback on this topic that Liz mentioned, needing to understand the skills that are going to drive a business forward in the future. Some of our own research on this is very eye-opening, but should also be a bit of a wake-up call to learning and development and HR leaders across a lot of companies.

We find that 90 percent of companies believe they’re going to have some sort of meaningful skills gap over the coming years. But only 16 percent believe that they’re fully prepared to meet those skills gaps. Matthew Smith

When we survey leaders, we find—and this, by the way, was work that was actually done pre-COVID-19, so, if anything, these numbers are probably even scarier—we find that 90 percent of companies believe they’re going to have some sort of meaningful skills gap over the coming years. They don’t have the skills today that they think they’re going to need in the future. But only 16 percent believe that they’re fully prepared to meet those skills gaps. So they might know what they need. Or they know that they have a gap. But they’re feeling completely unprepared in terms of, “How are we actually going to close that gap?”

The number that’s the most frightening for me and I think others in the learning-and-development space is that 60 percent of them say that their learning-and-development spend has no explicit connection to their strategic objectives, which you may just think is bizarre. It’s an unfortunate side effect of the fact that sometimes this is treated a bit like, if you will, an HR topic, or a silo off to the side. I agree with what Liz was saying earlier about the critical importance of starting with what’s really going to drive value for the business.

What are the capabilities and skills that we need to be able to get there? And then working across the organization with learning and development, partnering with the business to say, “OK, how are we actually going to close these gaps? Where do we need to hire? Where do we need to build skills? How do we need to reorient a lot of what we’re doing with training to the most important skills gaps?” That’s the hard work that a lot of organizations, at least in my experience, can struggle with.

Critical skills for the future

Diane Brady: One of the challenges with reskilling is it’s not always clear what skills you will need. Especially as disruption comes more rapidly, I would be curious to know what types of skills are these?

Matthew Smith: We’ve done a lot of work within McKinsey to look at the skills of the future, and to say, “What are the types of skills that, given all the disruption across industries and given all the technological change, are going to be more in demand and less in demand in the future?” While it does vary a lot by sector, there are some common trends.

The one that’s probably the least surprising to people is that technology skills are going to be in much higher demand. That’s probably not a shock to anyone. The second-largest increase, though, is in what you might call human skills: emotional intelligence, ability to collaborate, ability to communicate. Think about all the things that machines can’t do well. These types of skills are also going to be in high demand over the years to come. A lot of the skills that are going to be in less demand are in areas where machines can do well: routine manual tasks, routine cognitive tasks. What are the actual skills that people are thinking are going to be in the jobs of the future?

But there’s another underlying piece to this that is very important, which is hiring for and training for adaptability. Look for people who demonstrate an ability to learn new things, who demonstrate learning agility, who demonstrate openness and ability to flex in different directions. We’re all asked to do things that were not necessarily in our job description when we were hired. You can look for those types of skills in people, in addition to maybe the hard skills or the specific skills you’re looking for from a business need. But you can also train those skills.

Hiring for adaptability

The no-regret action is to build this sense of adaptability in your organization in each of the individuals and a real appreciation for the fact that adaptability is malleable. Elizabeth Young McNally

Diane Brady: Liz, is that part of what you get into? Hiring?

Elizabeth Young McNally: Absolutely. If you don’t want to start anywhere else, if you don’t want to take anything else away from this podcast, the no-regret action is to build this sense of adaptability in your organization in each of the individuals and a real appreciation for the fact that adaptability is malleable. We all have different starting points in terms of where we are. From our research, we believe that we can help everyone to become more adaptable. It’s both individual attributes and the team environment that helps you get there.

But if you had the choice, certainly you want to look to hire people who have that growth mindset and a willingness to embrace new perspectives, new skills. The other element was not just the mindset, it’s the behaviors. How do you help create opportunities for individuals to practice at the edge of being too difficult? You know, stretch them out of their comfort zone and create environments where they feel comfortable doing so.

The need for resilience

Diane Brady: Tell us a little more about the skills that company leaders should take away from this.

Elizabeth Young McNally: The skill that I wanted to share was this idea of how to build resilience in your employees as well. Through COVID-19, we’ve seen even more how important it is to build resilience. I reflect a lot. I was fortunate to have been in the military in the sense of I think I had a lot of experiences there that made me more resilient.

Diane Brady: You were in Iraq twice. Is that correct?

Elizabeth Young McNally: I was in Iraq twice. But I think even more about the 12-mile-road marches that I had to do in my first summer at West Point and how that built resilience as well. So you don’t have to deploy to a war zone. You don’t have to walk 12 miles with a heavy pack on either. But what is the equivalent of those things in your organization that you’re going to use to help people become more resilient? It’s more important than ever before, not just for our professional lives but for our personal lives as well.

Diane Brady: Matt, what are you seeing with the pandemic? Are we becoming more resilient?

Matthew Smith: The need for resilience has never been higher. People are getting stress-tested in ways that they’ve never had to deal with before. When I talk with my peers at other organizations, this is probably the number-one need that comes up. We are being stretched.

There are people who are learning and growing in different ways through this period and building that resilience muscle. But we need to do more to support people. It is a very, very challenging time for all of us. We all know that. Building these skills of resilience is something that more and more companies can invest in.

The future of capability building

Setting personal goals for learning.

Diane Brady: On a personal level, how have you incorporated these skills into your lives? I love strategies and tips from people who have been immersed in this.

Matthew Smith: I’ll give two quick tips that I try to do. One is there’s a really great concept that was first created by a guy named Ron Heifetz in his research, which is called, “Being on the dance floor and on the balcony.” It means in any moment that you’re in, can you be fully in it?

But can you also build the muscle and the habit of mentally stepping out and looking at what’s happening, and looking at how it’s going and how things are working, what’s working, what’s not, and what you can learn from it? If you just build that little mental muscle into your routines, what you’ll find is you’ll just squeeze so much more juice out of every experience.

Because you’ll be looking for those little microlearning moments that you can find in almost everything you do. It doesn’t have to be just more hours on the calendar. The second big tip that I’ve tried to incorporate myself is set small and clear goals over a three- to six-month period for what you want to learn and what you want to develop on in that period. Not too many of them; usually I would say three maximum. And then tell other people what you’re working on so that they can support you.

Diane Brady: So three in three. Three goals in three months.

Matthew Smith: I love the branding. Three goals, three months. Maybe you tell three friends, and then it’s three, three, three. That will create this continuous learning loop that you’ll have. You’ll just keep learning new things every few months and building on it. You’ll develop very quickly. And you’ll also be able to build on that for the next cycle, decide what those goals are, and you’ll continue learning. You’ll build it as a habit, which is the most important thing.

Diane Brady: Liz, let me go to you. Tell me a little bit about what you’ve done in terms of incorporating these lessons.

Elizabeth Young McNally: I love Matt’s three-in-three branding, and much of what I was going to say is encapsulated in that. One is just being super intentional about what you’re trying to learn right now. I try to be a sponge in every interaction I’m in and see and observe how others are doing things differently, how I’m trying to work on it. Right now, while we’re all stuck at our computers and our desks, I even keep a Post-it Note on my computer, with the one thing that I’m working on right then, so that I can be even that much more intentional and focused on the thing that I’m trying to learn and get better at.

The other one is really sharing what you’re trying to work on with a few trusted friends or colleagues who can help give you feedback and hold you accountable and encourage you along the way. It all falls under the three in three. But those are just some of the ways that I personally do it.

Diane Brady: It’s great advice, especially as we’re all working from home. And it is something that, of course, we will be continuing to talk about on a personal and professional level for many months and years to come. Liz, Matt, thank you very much.

Matthew Smith: Thanks so much, Diane, for having us.

Diane Brady: That was Liz McNally and Matt Smith. You can find more of their research at McKinsey.com. I’m Diane Brady. Thanks very much for joining us.

Matthew Smith is a partner and former chief learning officer in McKinsey’s Paris office, and Elizabeth Young McNally is an alumna of the New York office. Diane Brady is a senior editor with McKinsey Global Publishing in the New York office.

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TESS-India: Key resources
Key resources (complete)
Planning lessons
Involving all
Talk for learning
Using pair work
Using questioning to promote thinking
Monitoring and giving feedback
Using groupwork
Assessing progress and performance
Using local resources
Storytelling, songs, role play and drama
Compendium for teacher development
School–home communication
TI-AIE: School–home communication
A language-rich classroom
TI-AIE: A language-rich classroom
Speaking and listening
TI-AIE: Speaking and listening
Early reading
TI-AIE: Early reading
Storytelling
TI-AIE: Storytelling
Reading for pleasure
TI-AIE: Reading for pleasure
Reading for information
TI-AIE: Reading for information
Knowing and using children's literature
TI-AIE: Knowing and using children’s literature
Knowing and using children’s literature
Authentic writing
TI-AIE: Authentic writing
TI-AIE: Using local resources
Language, literacy and citizenship
TI-AIE: Language, literacy and citizenship
Multilingualism in the classroom
TI-AIE: Multilingualism in the classroom
Pair work for language and literacy
TI-AIE: Pair work for language and literacy
Integrating language, literacy and subject learning
TI-AIE: Integrating language, literacy and subject learning
Monitoring, assessment and feedback
TI-AIE: Monitoring, assessment and feedback
Acknowledgements
Elementary Language and Literacy acknowledgements
Classroom routines
TI-AIE: Classroom routines
Songs, rhymes and word play
TI-AIE: Songs, rhymes and word play
Letters and sounds of English
TI-AIE: Letters and sounds of English
Mark-making and early writing
TI-AIE: Mark-making and early writing
Shared reading
TI-AIE: Shared reading
Planning around a text
TI-AIE: Planning around a text
Promoting the reading environment
TI-AIE: Promoting the reading environment
English and subject content integration
TI-AIE: English and subject content integration
Using the textbook creatively
TI-AIE: Using the textbook creatively
Learning English in the creative arts
TI-AIE: Learning English in the creative arts
The learning environment
TI-AIE: The learning environment
Developing and monitoring reading
TI-AIE: Developing and monitoring reading
Developing and monitoring writing
TI-AIE: Developing and monitoring writing
Community resources for English
TI-AIE: Community resources for English
Elementary English acknowledgements
Local resources for teaching English
TI-AIE: Local resources for teaching English
Using more English in your classroom
TI-AIE: Using more English in your classroom
Building your students' confidence to speak English
TI-AIE: Building your students' confidence to speak English
Supporting reading for understanding
TI-AIE: Supporting reading for understanding
Whole-class reading routines
TI-AIE: Whole-class reading routines
Supporting independent writing in English
TI-AIE: Supporting independent writing in English
Whole-class writing routines
TI-AIE: Whole-class writing routines
Strategies for teaching listening
TI-AIE: Strategies for teaching listening
Supporting speaking in English: pair and groupwork
TI-AIE: Supporting speaking in English: pair and groupwork
English grammar in action
TI-AIE: English grammar in action
Strategies for teaching vocabulary
TI-AIE: Strategies for teaching vocabulary
Promoting reading for pleasure
TI-AIE: Promoting reading for pleasure
Supporting language learning through formative assessment
TI-AIE: Supporting language learning through formative assessment
Developing your English
TI-AIE: Developing your English
Using resources beyond the textbook
TI-AIE: Using resources beyond the textbook
Secondary English acknowledgements
Using number games: developing number sense
TI-AIE: Using number games: developing number sense
Using structured resources to develop understanding: place value
TI-AIE: Using structured resources to develop understanding: place value
Using a number line and the expression 'Imagine if ...': positive and negative numbers
TI-AIE: Using a number line and the expression ‘Imagine if …’: positive and negative numbers
Mathematical stories: word problems
TI-AIE: Mathematical stories: word problems
Asking questions that challenge thinking: fractions
TI-AIE: Asking questions that challenge thinking: fractions
Making students believe they CAN do mathematics: operations on fractions
TI-AIE: Making students believe they CAN do mathematics: operations on fractions
Using manipulatives: decomposition and regrouping
TI-AIE: Using manipulatives: decomposition and regrouping
Using real-life contexts: the formal division algorithm
TI-AIE: Using real-life contexts: the formal division algorithm
Comparing and contrasting tasks: volume and capacity
TI-AIE: Comparing and contrasting tasks: volume and capacity
Using rich tasks: area and perimeter
TI-AIE: Using rich tasks: area and perimeter
Physical representation in mathematics: handling data
TI-AIE: Physical representation in mathematics: handling data
Learning through talking: variables and constants
TI-AIE: Learning through talking: variables and constants
Conjecturing and generalising in mathematics: introducing algebra
TI-AIE: Conjecturing and generalising in mathematics: introducing algebra
Using embodiment, manipulative and real-life examples: teaching about angles
TI-AIE: Using embodiment, manipulatives and real-life examples: teaching about angles
Creative thinking in mathematics: proportional reasoning
TI-AIE: Creative thinking in mathematics: proportional reasoning
Elementary Maths acknowledgements
Using visualisation: algebraic identities
TI-AIE: Using visualisation: algebraic identities
Developing mathematical reasoning: mathematical proof
TI-AIE: Developing mathematical reasoning: mathematical proof
Visualising, comparing and contrasting: number systems
TI-AIE: Visualising, comparing and contrasting: number systems
Connecting mathematics: finding factors and multiples
TI-AIE: Connecting mathematics: finding factors and multiples
Building mathematical resilience: similarity and congruency in triangles
TI-AIE: Building mathematical resilience: similarity and congruency in triangles
Cooperative learning and mathematical talk: triangles
TI-AIE: Cooperative learning and mathematical talk: triangles
Creating contexts for abstract mathematics: equations
TI-AIE: Creating contexts for abstract mathematics: equations
Enacting vocabulary and asking questions: exploring the circle
TI-AIE: Enacting vocabulary and asking questions: exploring the circle
Hands-on learning and embodiment: constructions in geometry
TI-AIE: Hands-on learning and embodiment: constructions in geometry
Tackling mathematical anxiety: combination shapes and solids
TI-AIE: Tackling mathematical anxiety: combination shapes and solids
Learning from misconceptions: algebraic expressions
TI-AIE: Learning from misconceptions: algebraic expressions
Developing creative thinking in mathematics: trigonometry
TI-AIE: Developing creative thinking in mathematics: trigonometry
Reading, writing and modelling mathematics: word problems
TI-AIE: Reading, writing and modelling mathematics: word problems
Thinking mathematically: estimation
TI-AIE: Thinking mathematically: estimation
Developing stories: understanding graphs
TI-AIE: Developing stories: understanding graphs
Secondary Maths acknowledgements
Brainstorming: sound
TI-AIE: Brainstorming: sound
Pair work: life processes
TI-AIE: Pair work: life processes
Using groupwork: floating and sinking
TI-AIE: Using groupwork: floating and sinking
Using demonstration: food
TI-AIE: Using demonstration: food
Concept mapping: water
TI-AIE: Concept mapping: water
Teacher’s questioning: forces
TI-AIE: Teacher’s questioning: forces
Pupils’ questioning: sorting and classifying things
TI-AIE: Pupils’ questioning: sorting and classifying things
Observing patterns: shadows and night & day
TI-AIE: Observing patterns: shadows and night & day
Practical investigation: change
TI-AIE: Practical investigation: change
Using stories: environment
TI-AIE: Using stories: environment
Using games: electricity
TI-AIE: Using games: electricity
Alternative conceptions: heat and temperature
TI-AIE: Alternative conceptions: heat and temperature
Developing the learning environment
TI-AIE: Developing the learning environment
Discussion in science: malnutrition
TI-AIE: Discussion in science: malnutrition
Using the community: environmental issues
TI-AIE: Using the community: environmental issues
Elementary Science acknowledgements
Pair work: atoms and molecules, and chemical reactions
TI-AIE: Pair work: atoms and molecules, and chemical reactions
Reading in the science classroom : heredity and evolution
TI-AIE: Reading in the science classroom: heredity and evolution
Reading in the science classroom: heredity and evolution
Mind mapping and concept mapping: acids, bases and salts
TI-AIE: Mind mapping and concept mapping: acids, bases and salts
Using local resources: life processes
TI-AIE: Using local resources: life processes
Community approaches: science education and environmental issues
TI-AIE: Community approaches: science education and environmental issues
Using games: the Periodic Table
TI-AIE: Using games: the Periodic Table
Questioning: why do we fall ill?
TI-AIE: Questioning: why do we fall ill?
Language in the science classroom: cells
TI-AIE: Language in the science classroom: cells
Probing understanding: work and energy
TI-AIE: Probing understanding: work and energy
Using physical models: teaching electricity to Class X
TI-AIE: Using physical models: teaching electricity to Class X
Brainstorming: forces and laws of motion
TI-AIE: Brainstorming: forces and laws of motion
Building mental models: teaching carbon and its compounds to Class X
TI-AIE: Building mental models: teaching carbon and its compounds to Class X
Practical work and investigations: teaching gravitation to Class IX
TI-AIE: Practical work and investigations: teaching gravitation to Class IX
Effective demonstrations: teaching light and vision to Class X
TI-AIE: Effective demonstrations: teaching light and vision to Class X
Effective project work: sources of energy
TI-AIE: Effective project work: sources of energy
Secondary Science acknowledgements
Orientation
TI-AIE: Orientation: the elementary school leader as enabler
Orientation: the elementary school leader as enabler
TI-AIE: Orientation: the secondary school leader as enabler
Orientation: the secondary school leader as enabler
Perspective on leadership
TI-AIE: Perspective on leadership: leading the school’s self-review
Perspective on leadership: leading the school’s self-review
TI-AIE: Perspective on leadership: leading the school development plan
Perspective on leadership: leading the school development plan
TI-AIE: Perspective on leadership: using data on diversity to improve your school
Perspective on leadership: using data on diversity to improve your school
TI-AIE: Perspective on leadership: planning and leading change in your school
Perspective on leadership: planning and leading change in your school
TI-AIE: Perspective on leadership: implementing change in your school
Perspective on leadership: implementing change in your school
TI-AIE: Perspective on leadership: building a shared vision for your school
Perspective on leadership: building a shared vision for your school
Managing and developing self
TI-AIE: Managing and developing self: managing and developing yourself
Managing and developing self: managing and developing yourself
Transforming teaching-learning process
TI-AIE: Transforming teaching-learning process: leading improvements in teaching and learning in the elementary school
Transforming teaching-learning process: leading improvements in teaching and learning in the elementary school
TI-AIE: Transforming teaching-learning process: leading improvements in teaching and learning in the secondary school
Transforming teaching-learning process: leading improvements in teaching and learning in the secondary school
TI-AIE: Transforming teaching-learning process: leading assessment in your school
Transforming teaching-learning process: leading assessment in your school
TI-AIE: Transforming teaching-learning process: leading teachers’ professional development
Transforming teaching-learning process: leading teachers’ professional development
TI-AIE: Transforming teaching-learning process: supporting teachers to raise performance
Transforming teaching-learning process: supporting teachers to raise performance
TI-AIE: Transforming teaching-learning process: mentoring and coaching
Transforming teaching-learning process: mentoring and coaching
What this unit is about

What school leaders can learn in this unit

1 What is school culture and how does it impact on learning?

2 Styles of school leadership

3 Identifying and analysing the culture in your school
4 Developing a positive shared culture
Resource 1: Plan of action
Transforming teaching-learning process: developing an effective learning culture in your school
TI-AIE: Transforming teaching-learning process: promoting inclusion in your school
Transforming teaching-learning process: promoting inclusion in your school
TI-AIE: Transforming teaching-learning process: managing resources for effective student learning
Transforming teaching-learning process: managing resources for effective student learning
TI-AIE: Transforming teaching-learning process: leading the use of technology in your school
Transforming teaching-learning process: leading the use of technology in your school
Leading partnerships
TI-AIE: Leading partnerships: engaging with parents and the wider school community
Leading partnerships: engaging with parents and the wider school community
School Leadership acknowledgements
TI-AIE: TESS-India Video Resources
TI-AIE: TESS-India School Leadership Video Resources
TESS-India OER title list
TESS-India Subject Frameworks
TESS-India Key Resources and Video Resources mapping matrix
TESS-India Video Script titles
TESS-India Localisation Handbook
TESS-India MOOC Facilitation Guide
TESS-India Consultant Orientation Handbook (Draft)
Academic mentoring
Action research
Facilitating teachers' meetings
Networks: effective professional development for educational change
Reflection in education
Running an effective participatory interactive workshop
Engaging students
Focusing on examination results
Improving attendance
Dealing with large multi-grade classes
Motivating teachers
Speaking English with confidence
Supporting school leaders in motivating teacher change in their schools
Teacher development meetings
Teaching student teachers
Teaching multilingual classes
Using English in everyday life
Working with elementary Maths teachers

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10 hours study
1 Level 1: Introductory
Description

TESS-India: All India Resources (in English)

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A school that is able to develop and maintain a positive shared culture knows what aspects of the culture are important in developing an effective learning environment; it consciously transmits these values to its students. Through collective awareness and action, culture can be used positively in order to enhance student learning and achievement, whether through small actions such as celebrating achievements in public events, or to more large-scale projects such as developing democratic processes for teachers, students and other stakeholders to contribute to curriculum reform.

While it appears to be constant , culture is a dynamic space that is influenced by laws, policies and changes of leadership. It therefore requires school leaders to be aware of what influences or changes aspects of the school culture, whether deliberately or not, and ensuring that the culture for learning and achievement are never put at risk. Research demonstrates that school leaders have a critical role in ensuring that the culture supports student achievement (MacNeil et al., 2009). But – as identified by Bulach (2001) – a leader must identify a school’s existing culture before attempting to change it.

A positive school culture can be defined broadly to include (Character Education Partnership, 2010):

social climate , including a safe and caring environment in which all students feel welcomed and valued, and have a sense of ownership of their school; this helps students in their moral development
intellectual climate , in which all students in every classroom are supported and challenged to do their very best and achieve work of quality; this includes a rich, rigorous and engaging curriculum, and a powerful pedagogy for teaching it
rules and policies that hold all school members accountable to high standards of learning and behaviour
traditions and routines built from shared values that honour and reinforce the school’s academic and social standards
structures for giving staff and students a voice in, and shared responsibility for, solving problems and making decisions that affect the school environment and their common life
ways of effectively working with parents to support students’ learning and character growth
norms for relationships and behaviours that create a professional culture of excellence and ethical practice.

Figure 2 Does your school have a positive school culture?

This definition covers the breadth of school life, both academic and social. However, every bullet point can be seen to have a direct impact on student learning, whether it is through developing a culture of excellence, or ensuring that students feel safe and listened to. The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) recognises this by stating that ‘schools have a major role to play in ensuring that children are socialised into a culture of self-reliance, resourcefulness, peace-oriented values and health’ (2005, p. 35).

The NCF mentions the conscious creation of a culture that has a long-term, developmental impact, stating that ‘children cannot wake up one morning and know how to participate in, preserve and enhance a democracy, especially if they have had no prior personal or even second-hand experience of it, nor any role models to learn from’. It specifically mentions the importance of:

a culture of reading
a culture of innovation, curiosity and practical experience
highlighting students’ identities as ‘learners’ and creating an environment that enhances the potential and interests of each student
messages that convey interpersonal relations, teacher attitudes, and norms and values that are part of the culture of the school.

More recently, Section 17 of the Right to Education Act 2009 (RtE) is of particular significance in the context of developing a positive school culture, because it states that ‘no child shall be subjected to physical punishment or mental harassment’. This calls for the school leader to focus on making the school an enabling and facilitative place for all school children, thereby providing a stress-free, child-friendly, learner-centred classroom environment, which requires redefining notions of discipline, punishment and student–teacher relationships. Further, the National Programme Design and Curriculum Framework (2014) highlights the need to empower and develop the capabilities of the school leader so that the transformed school proactively nurtures children and facilitates their all-round development.

Before understanding the role of school leaders in establishing, modelling and sharing their vision of a positive school culture, it is necessary to consider how different aspects of the culture are enacted in schools. Activity 1 will help you to consider your own understanding of school culture in relation to the Character Education Partnership (CEP) definition above.

Activity 1: Identifying examples of positive school culture

Look again at the seven bullet points listed above in the CEP definition of school culture. For each bullet point, write down in your Learning Diary two examples of how this might be reflected to your school.

For each example you have listed, justify how it would have a positive impact on student learning.

You will have naturally drawn on examples from your own experience, and will maybe have thought of examples of practice that you feel your school should aim to implement. You may notice that the examples you have thought of range from something as small as all teachers saying good morning to students as they enter classrooms, to something more substantial such as changing the classroom pedagogy .

The examples you thought of for Activity 1 are likely to be context-specific. Table 1 lists some generic ideas to help you think through the broad range of practical elements that might contribute to a school culture.

Having considered the multi-faceted nature of what is meant by a school’s culture, it should be clear that there is very little that does not have an impact on how staff and students experience the school and affect the learning that takes place. As a school leader, this includes the way you lead and manage the staff, how you communicate your vision of the school’s development, and the relationships and interactions you have with staff, students and stakeholders.

For further information, take a look at our frequently asked questions which may give you the support you need.

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4 Ways to Create a Learning Culture on Your Team

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic
Josh Bersin

Start by hiring curious people.

Research from LinkedIn has shown that half of today’s most in-demand skills weren’t even on the list three years ago. As a result, there is now a premium on intellectual curiosity and the desire and ability to quickly grow and adapt one’s skill set. How can you create a learning culture on your own team or in your organization? First, reward continuous learning. Note that rewarding curiosity is not just about praising and promoting those who display an effort to learn and develop; it’s also about creating a climate that nurtures critical thinking, where challenging authority and speaking up are encouraged, even if it means creating discord. Be sure to give people meaningful and constructive feedback — it’s hard to improve on anything if you are unaware of your limitations. As a manager, practice what you preach. And finally, hire curious people. It’s easier to augment potential than to go against someone’s nature.

Technology is disrupting every industry and area of life, and work is no exception. One of the main career implications of the digital revolution is a shift in demand for human expertise. For instance, LinkedIn’s talent research shows that half of today’s most in-demand skills weren’t even on the list three years ago.

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic is the Chief Innovation Officer at ManpowerGroup, a professor of business psychology at University College London and at Columbia University, co-founder of deepersignals.com , and an associate at Harvard’s Entrepreneurial Finance Lab. He is the author of Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? (and How to Fix It ) , upon which his TEDx talk was based. His latest book is I, Human: AI, Automation, and the Quest to Reclaim What Makes Us Unique. Find him at www.drtomas.com . drtcp
Josh Bersin is founder and CEO of human capital advisory firm The Josh Bersin Company. He is a global research analyst, public speaker, and writer on the topics of corporate human resources, talent management, recruiting, leadership, technology, and the intersection between work and life.

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How to Write an Essay about Your Culture

Do you need to write an essay about your culture but don’t know where to start? You’ve come to the right place! I’m Constance, and I’ll show you how to write an essay about your culture. I’ll guide you step by step, and we’ll write a sample essay together. Let’s dive in.

Writing an essay about your culture includes 5 steps:

Step 1. Plan how many words you want in each paragraph.

When you know the exact number of words you need for an essay, planning the word count for each paragraph will be much easier.

For example, a 300-word essay typically consists of five paragraphs and three key elements:

The introductory paragraph.
Three body paragraphs.
The conclusion, or the concluding paragraph.

Here’s a simple way to distribute 300 words across the five paragraphs in your essay:

You’ll get 300 when you add up these numbers.

Step 2. Decide on what your main and supporting points will be.

First, you must take a stand, meaning you must decide on your main point. What do you really want to say about your culture? Whatever you want to say, that becomes your thesis.

For example, “My culture is very rich.” That is enough to get started. You’ll get a better idea of how to expand or tweak your thesis after the next step.

Next, divide your topic using the Power of Three to prove the point that your culture is rich using three supporting ideas.

The Power of Three effectively divides an essay’s main idea into its supporting points. It means your main idea is true because of the three reasons you will provide in the body. So, it is a three-part structure that helps produce your body paragraphs .

Let’s try it for an essay about Filipino culture!

For example, here are three supporting ideas explaining the richness of Filipino culture:

The Philippines has incredible food .
Traditional Filipino clothing reflects the country’s heritage.
Family values in the Philippines are essential.

Great! Now we have everything we need to write an essay about Filipino culture. We’re all set for the next step!

Step 3. Write your introductory paragraph.

Here are the key components of an introductory paragraph you need to remember in writing your essay:

Our first sentence is the introduction, which should pull our reader into the world we want to portray in our essay.

And the rest of the introductory paragraph is our thesis statement. It includes our main idea and three supporting points.

Example of an introductory paragraph about culture

“Having been colonized for centuries, the Philippines boasts a vast heritage. It has a rich culture characterized by food, clothing, and family values. Filipino culture has delicious food inherited from diverse parts of the world and periods of conquest. Traditional Filipino clothing reflects the country’s history, as well. And Filipinos prize their family values probably above all else.”

Look at how the introductory paragraph goes from a general statement to specific ideas that support our main idea.

Our introductory sentence is a general statement that serves as the opening in our essay. It briefly sets the essay’s context. Next comes the thesis statement — our main idea. Finally, we have three supporting ideas for our thesis.

Step 4. Write your essay’s body paragraphs.

Again, a 300-word essay typically has three body paragraphs containing your three supporting ideas. Here’s how to structure a body paragraph:

Looking back at our word count plan, we know that our body paragraphs should have roughly 70 words each. Remember your word plan as you write.

Body Paragraph 1

“The Philippines boasts a diverse food culture. It reflects indigenous flavors and foreign influences, such as American, Spanish, Indian, and Chinese. Whether it’s a typical or special day, Filipinos love eating these various dishes with rice, a staple. For example, rice goes well with curry, noodles, and adobo. It is also common to see various foods like pizza, pancit, lumpia, paella, (Filipino-style) sweet spaghetti, cakes, and ice cream at parties.”

As you can see, the first sentence in this body paragraph is a topic sentence . It gives context to the paragraph and briefly summarizes it.

The second sentence explains why the Philippine food culture is considered diverse.

The remaining sentences illustrate your main point (topic sentence) by providing examples, starting with rice in sentence 3.

Body Paragraph 2

“Traditional Filipino clothing reflects Philippine cultural heritage. Although Filipinos now conform to current fashion trends in their everyday lives, the traditional clothing style is often used during celebrations. The traditional fashion sense exhibits influences from indigenous tribes, Chinese immigration waves, the Spaniards, and Americans, portraying the chronology of Philippine historical events. For example, the Philippines’ national costume, the baro’t saya, is an elegant blend of Spanish and Filipino clothing styles. Even some modernized forms of clothing also display other global influences.”

Just like Body Paragraph 1, this paragraph follows the same structure outlined in the diagram. It proceeds from a general statement to more specific points :

The topic sentence.
An explanation.

Body Paragraph 3

“Family values are vital in the Philippines. The daily lives of most Filipinos revolve around close and extended family, making them known for their family-oriented lifestyle even when they’re overseas. It’s common for children to live with their parents after reaching legal age; some even stay after getting married or obtaining a job. Filipinos also cherish their extended families (aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins) and hanging out or celebrating significant events together.”

Once again, this paragraph follows the body paragraph structure. Now, we’re all set for the final step — the conclusion.

Step 5. Write the conclusion.

The easiest way to write a concluding paragraph for your essay on your culture is to restate your main idea and its supporting points using different words. You can even paraphrase your introduction — a time-proven method!

Let’s write the conclusion for our essay.

“Because of its history, the Philippines has a rich, diverse culture rooted in a vast heritage. Filipino cuisine is a blend of indigenous and foreign flavors. The nation’s history is reflected in its traditional clothing. And family values display a distinct Filipino trait.”

Note that this conclusion uses different words to restate the points we’ve already made, including those in the body paragraphs.

Hope this was helpful. Now go ahead and write an essay about your culture!

Tutor Phil is an e-learning professional who helps adult learners finish their degrees by teaching them academic writing skills.

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The Importance of Culture

11 January, 2019

11 minutes read

Author: Richard Pircher

Culture can be defined as “the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively.” It can also be understood as the ideas, customs, and social behavior of a particular people or society. Therefore, it’s the shared patterns of our behavior and interaction which are learned through socialization. People of the same culture share a group identity that is fostered by social patterns unique to the group. Culture encompasses for example values, beliefs, symbols, norms, and patterns of behavior. It has a far-reaching impact on our everyday actions, on how we talk and think, what we wear, what we believe, how we sit at the table, and how we behave among other people. But what is the importance of culture in our society? And which components constitute our conception of culture?

Components of culture

Patterns of behavior

What defines culture?

All cultures are characterized by constant change. As a dynamic phenomenon, cultures are under constant change and they must adapt to environmental changes. This is one of the universal features of a culture. After globalization, the world became more interconnected and today most societies consist of ethnically diverse populations. This has given rise to conflicts associated with ethnicity, religion, and ethical beliefs which are all central concepts in cultures. More than ever before, culture is no longer fixed but rather in constant motion. At a time when cultures adapt and become more fluid, a need has been identified to protect and preserve the past. There are organizations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) whose objectives include conserving and protecting cultural and natural heritage along with the promotion of international cooperation, peace, and security.

what is importance of culture essay sample

To answer the question about the importance of culture, one has to consider its role in people’s everyday lives. Because culture affects how people behave and interact with each other, it helps you build relationships with others when you understand other cultures and perspectives. It’s also good to understand how much in common we have with other people even if at first glance their cultures might seem completely different. We are all humans and have similar needs, hopes, fears, and things that make us happy. It doesn’t mean, however, that our cultural differences don’t matter at all. A better strategy is to acknowledge that differences exist and to fight against discrimination. The world is becoming more and more diverse as different languages, religions, economic and cultural groups blend together. We need to appreciate and understand different cultures and establish relationships with people from other backgrounds. This is the only way to build successful communities, improve our living conditions, and solve problems.

If we take a closer look at the characteristics of culture, we can identify five basic traits that define the concept of culture.

Five characteristics of culture

Based on symbols

This Essay sample was provided by Handmadewriting essay writer . You may order your own essay at our top-level essay writing service.

Culture is learned

Culture is learned because it’s not biological or ingrained in our DNA. Children don’t inherit culture from their parents. Instead, they learn it and much of this learning occurs subconsciously without us paying any attention to it. We learn our culture not only from our families but also from institutions, other people, and the media. This process of learning is called enculturation. All humans share the same biological needs, for example, food, water, sleep, shelter, and sex, but the way we choose to fulfill those needs varies across cultures.

Culture is shared

Culture is shared because we share our culture with other members of our group. We know how to interact with these other members and we can predict their behavior based on our knowledge and expectations. The shared nature of culture doesn’t mean, however, that cultures are homogenous.

Culture is integrated

Because the various parts of a culture are interconnected, culture is also integrated. All components of culture are connected to one another and to gain a comprehensive understanding of a culture, one must learn about these different components.

Culture is dynamic

Culture is dynamic because cultures interact with each other. Cultures share ideas and symbols and they adapt to changes in the environment. Since cultures are also integrated, it means that if one component of a culture changes, it will affect all the other components, too, forcing the entire system to adapt.

Culture is based on symbols

Symbols are an integral part of every culture and they vary across different cultures. Cultures not only use symbols but they are also based on them. Symbols get their meaning when people in the same culture agree on how they should be used. Language is the most obvious example of the use of symbols within a culture but other things such as art, clothing, and money can also be defined as symbols.

It should also be pointed out that not all cultural adaptation is positive. Not all cultural practices are adaptive, and there are many examples of cultural adaptation that have been detrimental such as fast food, pollution, and climate change. But due to their dynamic nature, cultures have the ability to adapt and find solutions to these problems.

How does geography affect culture?

What influences our cultures then? One of the most profound of these factors is geography. The development of a culture is largely dependent on its geographical location. For example, locations that are ideal for hunting influence that culture by encouraging people to teach their descendants to hunt, tell hunting stories, and organize ceremonies that celebrate hunting skills. A factor such as hunting can thus become a defining characteristic of that culture. Another good example is the Japanese culture which relies heavily on the attribute of water. The fact that Japan is an island surrounded by water has influenced its culture from its creation myth to natural resources such as fish and growing of rice. Even more so, Japan as an island has historically been limited because of its geography, and this has given rise to art forms such as haiku poems and bonsai trees which are characterized by their limitations. Geography affects cultures from the number of languages spoken in a given area to the clothes people wear, their political ideas, and even religions. For example, on the island of Guinea, people speak more than 800 languages. This is because New Guinea is mountainous and it’s difficult for people from one area to come into contact with people from other areas. These different groups, therefore, learned to keep to themselves and developed their own languages. Culture also has its impact on the clothes that people wear, and this has historically been determined by geography, too. People in the Arctic whose culture relies on hunting whales and seals wear several layers of warm clothes, usually manufactured from animal skin. In contrast, tribes in the rainforests wear very little clothing and their economies are centered around plant life. In terms of government and religion, the ancient Greeks, for example, developed a political culture centered around city-states because their geography was mountainous and it was thus difficult for large kingdoms to arise. The Mesopotamian and Egyptian religions, on the other hand, differed in the fact that Mesopotamian gods were considered less kind than the Egyptian gods. This is believed to be the result of unpredictable floods in the Mesopotamian rivers and rather consistent and predictable floods in the Nile.

How does culture affect business?

When looking at modern cultures, we can see the many effects that cultures have, for example, on business. During a business meeting where people from different cultures are communicating with one another, cultural differences have to be taken into account. There is more than merely a language barrier that needs to be overcome. These differences can concern people’s sensitivity to time, the way of communicating, risk-taking, decision-making, and thinking of others, all of which need to be addressed. Cultural differences can often impact the success or failure of multicultural business negotiations. When segmenting target groups for a product or service, businesses have to spend time on examining the cultural expectations and values of different groups. Culture influences people’s tastes and preferences, and the same strategies will not work for all audiences. Americans, for example, have very different expectations from advertising and marketing than Asian consumers. Business owners must account for differences throughout the product’s life cycle, from its design to marketing and beyond.

Culture affects our every facet of life. Most societies these days have become multicultural as more and more people migrate across countries and continents. We live around, socialize and work with people from different cultural backgrounds and different parts of the world. While their values and beliefs might be different from ours, we should accept these differences and broaden our own views in order to attain harmony in these culturally diverse environments. We should acknowledge the importance of culture in communication and in contributing to our identity and sense of belonging as part of a social group. Culture can be seen as a uniting force that is part of our daily lives and an integral part of our being, defining the way we treat other people and ourselves.

Caplan, L. (2018): “What Factors Influence Culture? What are the Characteristics of Culture?” eNotes. https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-factors-influence-culture-98429
Community Tool Box (2018): “Understanding Culture and Diversity in Building Communities.” The University of Kansas. https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/culture/cultural-competence/culture-and-diversity/main
eNotes (2015): “How Does Geography Affect Culture?” https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/how-does-geography-affect-culture-474205
Nowaczyk, J., (2018): “The Five Basic Characteristics of Cultures.” Study.com https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-five-basic-characteristics-of-cultures.html
OpinionFront (2018): “Why is Culture Important and How Does it Influence People?” https://opinionfront.com/why-is-culture-important
Oxford Dictionaries (2019): “Definition of Culture.” Oxford University Press. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/culture
Zimmermann, K. A. (2012): “What is Culture.” Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/21478-what-is-culture-definition-of-culture.html

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The importance of culture in language learning

Have you ever tried learning a language without knowing about its culture? The exercise is less fun than you might imagine, and exercise is not very fun as it is.

On the other hand, discovering a country’s cultural references, music, signature dishes, traditions and customs will push your language learning and motivation to new and exciting places.

At Gymglish, we’re convinced that learning a language isn’t just learning a list of words or a set of rules. Studying linguistics and theory is only one piece of the puzzle. We believe that tying language to a context, whether it be experiential or narrative, is the cornerstone of mastering it. Using humor in our storytelling not only motivates the learner and stimulates memorization, but also addresses the great number of different ways we communicate, work and live together.

A language isn’t just an organized sign system; it’s an equation of different elements of which linguistics is only one of many. (…) Culture makes up an inherent component of each person and of the language in which they express themselves. If culture doesn’t exist without language, then language doesn’t exist without culture either.

Jacques Leylavergne et Andrea Parra in “La culture dans l’enseignement et apprentissage d’une langue étrangère ”

So how do we include a cultural dimension to our online courses? First, by sharing stories and experiences of everyday life. In our French course, Frantastique , students will learn about their local boulanger , interact with a garçon (server) and discover the stunning array of cheeses the French tend to hide in their cheese closets (cheese closets may not be real). In our English course, Gymglish, you’ll learn about scheduling meetings, negotiating a business deal and booking tickets and accommodation. Our stories include situations from personal, professional and everyday life, all with a touch of humor. The word “culture” here is used in a broad sense, with all its practical implications.

Learning a foreign language is about learning a new culture, lifestyles, attitudes, ways of thinking, a new and different logic; it’s about entering a mysterious world, understanding individual behavior, broadening your knowledge and your own level of understanding.

Jeanine Courtillon in her book “La notion de progression appliquée à l’enseignement de la civilisation”

The second cultural ingredient in our pedagogy is multiculturalism. We wanted to address the language from diverse perspectives culturally and regionally. Accents, vocabulary, idioms, slang, lifestyles… we want to highlight this diversity rather than focus on a monolithic approach. At Gymglish , we feature American English alongside British English and highlight vocabulary and accents from all English-speaking countries. Frantastique features Canadian, Belgian, Swiss, African, and French characters from multiple regions. Our Spanish course, Hotel Borbollón , includes Spanish and Latin American references and vocabulary. As for our German course, Wunderbla , users will come across accents and characters from Austria and Switzerland, as well as Germany. Communication in English, French, Spanish or German doesn’t necessarily imply communicating exclusively with English, French, Spanish or German people, nor will we necessarily be conversing with speakers in their native languages for that matter. Learning a language is about broadening our horizons, hence the importance of multiculturalism.

The last cultural ingredient of our pedagogy focuses on authentic artistic, literary, musical, and cinematographic references. We endeavor to feature significant authors, movies, TV series, poems, books and songs for the “dessert” section at the end of each lesson. This way our users can finish their lesson in style with a taste of culture from the language they are studying. These works not only tell stories and highlight cultural diversity at the heart of each language, but they are also useful when it comes to motivation and memorization. Each is tied somehow to the story of the day.

By studying a language via its cultural dimensions, learners open their minds to new attitudes and styles, often different from their own. Learning a foreign language is a known factor in promoting peace, inclusion, and is a legitimate countermeasure to xenophobia. At the end of the day, learning a foreign language is a way to develop our critical thinking, and more romantically, it helps us not only fall in love with a dialect, but with the people who speak it.

Want to subscribe to our online language courses and learn about grammar, spelling and culture in a fun way? Try our English course Gymglish, our French course Frantastique, our German course Wunderbla or our Spanish course Hotel Borbollon for free for 7 days today !

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3 thoughts on “ The importance of culture in language learning ”

Pingback: 5 Hispanic artists that helped shaped the world of art - The Gymglish blog

Love the deprecating humour but don’t like any American English. They don’t seem to realise that many words are based on French then spell and pronounce them in annoying way! I call it Manglish. I am Australian and speak the Queen’s English!

Hi Liz thanks for your comment 🙂 I guess that’s the beauty of the English language! At Gymglish we embrace cultural differences within a language or culture and strive to address the language from diverse perspectives culturally and regionally. Have a great day! The Gymglish team

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Culture Essay

500 + words essay on culture for students.

Culture is the combination of spiritual and emotional features of a particular set of people. We can say that it defines the identity of a certain group of people. It includes food, dress, arts, culture, literature, language, etc. Besides this, it consists of customs and traditions that are followed and implemented by people from ancient times. Most importantly, it is something that people follow as a community and society.

This is basically something that every individual needs to follow in the community. It leads to following rules and regulations that are implemented in society. Culture is transferred from one generation to another following the same customs and traditions. A person is identified from their culture and the place they belong to. It is beneficial for the social and emotional well-being of people. In this culture essay, we will discuss the types and importance of cultures in our lives.

Characteristics of Culture

It is important to understand the fact that culture does not allow us to be isolated from others. It brings people together. They become closer to others by socially interacting with them. Culture is something that we all share, it does not belong to a specific individual. This would include, morals, values, traditions, etc. It is capable of transferring from one generation to another. It is a continuous process that keeps moving forward. Additionally, it adapts to the new changes according to the time and circumstances.

Types of Culture

Culture is the most integral part of our lives. It is not something that people are born with. But, they inherit the culture by living with a set of communities. Cultures are classified to be materialistic and non-materialistic. Some of the types of cultures are mentioned below:

Art: Dance, music, painting, etc.
Literature: Stories, drama, poetry, manuscripts, etc.
Spiritual: Prayers, worship, belief, etc.
Behavior: Traditions, myth, customs, etc.

Also explore: Learn more about culture with Globalization essay and Essay on World .

Importance of Culture

Although we all live in the modern world, there are customs which we follow from the ancient times. We hold certain values which are morally rich. Most importantly, every culture has its own festivals and traditions that it celebrates and believes in. Culture is dynamically changing according to the environment. But, the essence of the traditions are still maintained. Today, all are connected and trying to adapt to each other’s culture. Have you heard about cultural diversity? It basically means respecting and living together with people from different backgrounds, traditions, languages, interests and skills. Some of the benefits of culture are mentioned below:

It teaches community equality, love and respect towards each other.
It encourages art forms with a wide range of audiences.
It treats all the culture and traditions of people equally.
It helps to understand and exchange ideas with each other.
It helps in respecting and appreciating other cultures.
It allows people from different backgrounds to work together for a common goal.
It supports people to contribute in ways that helps society to grow and flourish.
It preserves cultural ideas and traditions.

Culture is the characteristics of particular people or groups based on their customs, traditions, beliefs, language, etc. We need to respect and appreciate all cultures and traditions for better living.

We hope this culture essay was useful to you. Check essays for kids for more essays on a wide variety of topics.

Frequently Asked Questions On Culture Essay

What is a culture essay.

It is a short write-up on culture which is a belief and characteristic of a particular set of people.

What are the different types of culture?

The different types of culture include art, traditions, spirituality, customs, religion, literature, etc.

What are the benefits of culture?

The benefits of culture are respect, appreciation, equality, encouragement, sharing ideas, and supporting each other.

To find more information, explore related information such as friendship essay and who am i essay .

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Best Learning Essay Examples

Learning in different cultures.

463 words | 2 page(s)

There are many similarities and differences in what other cultures perceive as learning. As an adult learner, I believe that learning should occur regardless of setting. According to Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner (2007) there are four themes of non-western learning; “interdependent, communal, holistic and informal learning” (p. 237). What each means to non-western individuals may vary by culture differences. As a whole, there tends to be a drastic difference between what western and non-western cultures perceive as learning. Merriam et. al., term non-western societies as being more interested in collectivism than western cultures. In contrast, western cultures tend to be more focused on individualism.

In looking specifically at other cultures, Confucius believed that people learn through imitating others (Merriam et. al. 2007). Imitation occurs when people do not know how to behave in certain situations. As a result, their imitation of others helps them to learn about themselves and others. However, Merriam et. al. further contends that western learning is based more on Greek principles. In contrast, learning in the East tends to focus more on Confucian principles. These culture differences help to explain what one perceives to be knowledge. Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner (2007) address that there are many stereotypes which perceive non-western cultures as being less knowledgeable than other cultures. However, what these individuals place importance on tends to be different.

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As an adult learner, I can understand the importance of responsibilities. In some senses, these responsibilities help to provide use with an identity. Non-western learning places a stronger emphasis as life as a learning process. In contrast, western learning places an increased importance on ‘formalized schooling.’ Cobern (1996) expands on this in noting, “There is a growing awareness that, for education to be effective, it must take much more explicit amount of the cultural context of the society which provides its settings, and whose needs it exists to serve” (p. 287). In relating back to Confucian thinking, Confucius believed that even baby birds must first flap their wings before flying. Therefore, learning can be perceived to be a multiple step process, regardless of culture.

Developing an understanding of how others learn is crucial. Through out life we are mixed with different people. It is important to understand how they process and perceive information. For example, an individual from a non-western society may perceive certain aspects of life as being less important than others. In the work environment, it is critical that individuals know how to interact and motivate others when working in groups. Regardless of the individual culture, there is a great deal of knowledge that individuals can gain from understanding non-westernized cultures.

Cobern W.M., (1996) Constructivism and Non-Western Education Research. International Journal of Science Education 4 (3) 287-302.
Merriam S.B., Caffarella R.S., Baumgartner L.M. (2007) Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

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Reflective Essay about Culture

Updated 30 June 2021

Subject Biology , Communication , Myself

Downloads 31

Category Life , Science , Sociology

Topic Culture and Communication , Human , Values

Culture is a complicated topic that involves a set of beliefs, practices, attitudes, values, and languages that are shared within an organization, ethnic, social, religious, or racial groups. Culture influences how humans view different aspects of life as they examine and become aware of the underlying assumptions, behaviors, and expectations that are linked to each culture. The experiences and cultural heritage play a significant role in how people assume and act. Personal Experience In my first days on campus, I experienced a hard time interacting and communicating with humans as we had different cultures. I was forced to undertake the other kind of beliefs, values, languages, and attitudes. Culture is shaped by people around such as peers, family, and the media. In my life, the family had the most influence in shaping my cultural identity as I spent a significant amount of time around them especially in my early years. In my cultural background, everybody in the family plays a specific role within the structure where the father is the head while the mother is the assistant. The children were always taught to obey the older population including our parents. The family was the most sacred institution where each individual in the society belonged, and they followed strict rules that had been laid down to guide how we interact, communicate, behavior, and relate with each other.

In each family structure, the elder siblings are respected as they were the role model in integrity, honor, values, and behavior. The male gender is the protectors of the family where they would protect the females from threats and dangers. The males are expected to be brave, energetic, honest, adventurous, and respectful, and they were trained to perform energy-demanding activities. On the other hand, the females are allocated duties within the home environment which were light and demand less energy. They must also show respect and demonstrate an interest in activities that the mother of the family performs. The delegation of tasks and assigning chores are essential activities that teach the children to become hard workers when they grow and also become obedient. The community is treated as an extended family where the elders are treated with respect, and they are allowed to conduct good parenting to the children. An elder can discipline the child of a neighbor whenever the kid misbehaves. Any child who is considered to be misbehaving is regarded as a disgrace to both the society and the parents. Therefore, the children are well behaved in the community. In my adolescent life, peers had a significant influence on my life experience. We developed groups within ourselves based on community and family support.

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These groups ensured that we had maintained the values that were present within a family such as honor, respect, and loyalty. They helped shape our beliefs, behavior, and values into honorable, obedient, and respectable kids. However, the groups were formed by youths from the same culture and this limited our growth and understanding of the other cultures. Conclusion In shaping my cultural values, beliefs, behavior, and practices family was the most important as I had a support system from my parents and my older siblings. The children are expected to respect the family system where the family is the head while the mother is the assistant. As I moved to my early year on campus, I was not entirely prepared to meet the different people and their diverse beliefs and behavior. This situation forced me to struggle with the different people I met and to live comfortably with the new cultures I was learning.

Works Cited

Bel, Bernard. Communication, Culture and Confrontation. Los Angeles: Sage, 2010. Print. Jakubowicz, Karol. "Media and Culture in the Information Society." Gazette. 45 (1990): 71-88. Print.

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