I think this really depends on the individual learning style. Some people are able to extrapolate from examples and internalize it (e.g. those people who learn

I think this really depends on the individual learning style. Some people are able to extrapolate from examples and internalize it (e.g. those people who learn language simply from watching TV), and others need a more explicit structure to guide them before they really start internalizing. No method works for everyone all the time.