A Childhood memory…
Assembling a model airplane on the kitchen table…
I was so excited. The picture on the box looked so cool. An Israeli F-16 painted in desert camouflage.
The first thing I did, after sniffing the glue, of course, was to assemble the missiles and then the bombs. Then the wings and other big stuff. Then some more glue sniffing. And finally, after the whole thing was together, then I would notice the leftover pieces.
“Oh yeah. The cockpit.” (where the pilot sits)
But then, of course, it was too late. The windshield was already glued shut. Oh well. Nothing left to do now but wait until it dried and relax in front of the TV with some more glue.
Isn’t that how the amateur learns his skills?
He rushes to do the fun stuff first.
The Karate Kid (I’m talking about Ralph Maccio; never saw the newer version) wanted to learn kicking but Mr. Miyagi made him practice blocking.
John Wooden, the most successful basketball coach in history, always began the first practice of the season with a lesson on how to tie your shoes (while his players all complained and wanted to start shooting).
And English students all want to talk.
“I just need to speak more,” is what they all say.
“Later,” I say. “First, do you know the 2,000 most common words? Have you listened and read and watched TV for hundreds of hours?”
Because if you haven’t…
How do you find the right word when speaking?
How do you understand the other person when they speak to you?
How do you feel the language so you can sound natural if you’ve spent so little time with it…?
Today and this weekend I’ll be working on a new program that teaches English in the correct order. If you’re pre-intermediate or advanced, it might help to do a re-start.
I’ll tell you more about it next week.