I'm not to here to promote wing chun , i thinks the socks kid mentioned something about it being more about attack than defence (and never seemed to answer me question on it)....from what you're saying it sounds like he's been put on a bum steer much like your flailing arm students, you've kinda answered you're earlier question to me ^ there.
Not everybody is old in china you know and fighters do go there.....i'm sure if MR Gracie got caught in china shagging one of thier kids then he'd find out pretty pronto what works and does'nt, you'll know about lines and theories when it get rounds t