Rule 1. Listen, listen, listen

Once upon a time the learning

of language in schools privileged the aural over the oral. A great deal was accomplished through learning by rote. Hearing and repeating. Although it is perhaps impractical to hope for a return to this virtuous procedure, it is important to realise that it does make a very great deal of sense. Everything that one learns, with respect to language, one learns via one’s ears and eyes (by virtue of what one reads, sees and hears). One learns absolutely nothing by means of one’s mouth.

Source: http://www.lingua.org.uk/gold.html