Teaching the rules means you’re teaching to the head.

“If this happens, do this.   If this happens, do this”

Which is cool.

It feels like “work.”

And if you have lots and lots and lots of time it can sometimes get you someway to your goal.   For some people.

But it’s not much good when you’re driving along the road and see a red light.

“Just a minute, let me think of the rule ….. OK, so green means go.  Yellow means ……. stop if you can.  Red means ……. BANG!!!!!”   Too late.

Or if you are riding a bicycle…

“Oh, I feel like I’m falling over a bit.  OK,  let me think….. Err,  if I feel like I’m falling to the right I’d best move to the …….. BANG!!!”  Too late.

Or playing jazz.  Or teaching.  Or coding.   Or negotiating.  Or languages.

“OK, let me say this sentence.  So, the verb goes here,  then oh, the noun,  then this, then that, then ………”   BANG!!!!

You’ve already been overtaken by someone who actually knows how to speak.

Faking it comes from rules.

Knowing it comes from lots and lots of effective practice.

Trying it out in lots of real,  or simulated real ( i.e. games) situations.

Yeah, you can spend 15 seconds explaining it at the beginning if you really, really have to.

But the work comes with the practice.

If your 18th century teacher says  “Write out 500 times!!!   Push ups work my _______  and ______.   Sit ups work my _______.”   Are you seriously going to get those ripped abs and arms?   Well,  the arms maybe, but not in the way you want 🙂

You’ve got to get on the floor.

You’ve got to get the feedback to make sure you’re doing it right.

You’ve got to put in the practice.

You’ve got to be Genki with energy & emotion.

And, of course, you’ve got to do it every day.