Usually characters are acquired as isolated individual items that happen to be
present in a given context, and the learner is subjected to absorbing many characters
of diverse complexity in form and meaning. Usually a story of some kind is present,
and the prime interest of the learner is in the story aspect of the lesson. As
such, the main focus of attention is in the story, while character learning is
secondary and incidental. Traditionally, the teacher always makes a big point
about the proper stroke order of writing. It in not uncommon that a character
is copied 50 or 60 times, or more. A better way of teaching is needed, since thousands
of characters must be learned and used. However, the standard answer has been,
"But, this has always been the way traditionally taught, and for thousands
of years!", as if to say, "Who are we to question it?! It is the only
way we know, therefor, it must be right."