Teaching Programming to 5- to 11-year-olds CO041 / A02
Summary
Build your subject knowledge and develop your skills in teaching programming
Programming gives children the opportunity to be creators rather than just consumers of technology. Instead of only using existing programs to complete tasks, children can use the programs they have written themselves to solve problems and develop new ideas.
This four-week course will help you become more confident in teaching programming to young children aged 5-11 years old. As well as developing your own understanding of programming, you’ll also investigate a range of strategies that you can use to help your pupils.
Delve into programming concepts
On this course you’ll learn about the key programming concepts of algorithms, sequence, repetition, selection, and variables.
You’ll experience a number of different programming languages suitable for young people, and use your new knowledge to modify and create programs in the block-based language Scratch.
The course will also introduce you to program design. You’ll learn about and experience all of the stages of program development from idea to running code.
By the end of the course, you’ll be able to design and code your own Scratch programs, as well as being able to support your young learners as they begin their coding journeys.
Links to the Teach Computing Curriculum
This course is created to align with the Teach Computing Curriculum (TCC), a free resource containing all the content you need to teach computing to children.
As well as undertaking several activities from the TCC during this course, you will use the knowledge you have gained to review a TCC teaching resource and adapt it for your learners’ needs.
What topics will you cover?
Week 1 - Introduction to programming
- What is programming?
- What’s an algorithm?
- Moving from an algorithm to code
Week 2 - Repetition
- Identifying patterns in tasks
- Implementing repetition
- Different types of repetition
Week 3 - Selection
- Conditions
- Implementing selection
- Controlling program flow with selection
Week 4 - Variables
- What are variables?
- How can variables be used in programs?
- Adapting a learning resource for your class
Who is the course leader?
Outcomes
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to:
- Explain the key programming concepts of sequence, repetition, selection, and variables
- Model these concepts using analogies from everyday life
- Develop Scratch programs that use these concepts
- Produce program designs including algorithms
- Apply the Use-Modify-Create and levels of abstraction framework in your lessons
- Modify learning resources to better fit the context in which you teach
Sessions
| Date | Time | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 CO041 | 04 October 2021 | 00:00-00:00 |
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Fees & Subsidies
Included in your CPD subscription
Are you a state-funded Special School or PRU unit? You may be eligible for reduced course fees and even subsidies. Get in touch to check your eligibility and book your place directly. You can see our fees and subsidy information here.
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