Coding is another word for Computer Programming. It is simply telling a computer what to do in a language that the computer understands. Coding is a new area of literacy that children will need to learn and master in the 21st century and going forward, irrespective of the career fields they choose to pursue.

This book aims to teach children and students not just to be consumers of technology but to be creators and inventors. Early Coding (Levels 1 to 5) will help children to understand how the computer thinks and how to create their own programs, games, animations and anything they can imagine using a computer programming language. It has been designed in a way that it can be used in schools or at home for personal learning. There is no age limit on who can use the book, but even children from age five can understand the concepts.

Many people assume that coding is too difficult for children to learn, but we have seen children from age five learn how to code.

Your child/student would not only be learning to code. Beyond programming computers, here are other skills that children learn in the process that they can transfer to other areas of their lives:

• How to recognize patterns and follow a sequence of actions to accomplish tasks
• Analytical thinking and problem solving – the ability to look at big problems, study them and break them down into smaller parts to find solutions
• Concentration, discipline and perseverance to finish tasks they start
• Creativity and imagination: the ability to ask questions, experiment, make mistakes and learn from their exploration
• Digital Citizenship: the responsible use of technology, especially in a world that is becoming increasingly internet driven

Our goal is not just to teach coding but to prepare children to be creative thinkers and problem solvers.

Not all the lessons and activities require a screen, but many of the applications and experiments will be made using a programming language called Scratch, which uses commands in the form of blocks dragged together to instruct the computer. Scratch is free and works without the internet. Children would require access to a computer to be able to make the best use of this book.

David Ogunshola
david.ogunshola@yahoo.com