What if we’re learning speaking in the wrong order?

I’ve been learning English (TL) for many years, and recently started learning Japanese too.

I learned English mostly through vocabulary, grammar, sentences, and exams. I can understand quite a lot, but when I actually need to express something, I often can’t find the words — even when I know I’ve learned them before.

This made me think about how I learned my native language. As a child, I didn’t learn vocabulary and grammar first. I was in a situation, wanted to express something, and my parents showed me how to say it. Over time, the situation itself seemed to trigger the language.

So I’ve been wondering: what if we’re learning speaking in the wrong order?
Instead of learning vocabulary and grammar first and hoping we can use them later, what if we started with a real situation and something we actually want to say? When we get stuck, someone shows us how to express it, then we use the same language again in different situations until it becomes natural.

In other words, could we train:
Situation / intention → target language
instead of:
Situation → native language → translation → target language
Has anyone tried learning this way? What actually helped you reach the point where a real-life situation naturally triggers the language you need?