Parents, as your child comes home and tells you about all the lines of “code” they have written in coding class, you’re probably wondering ‘what is coding and why should my child learn it?’

Well, let’s start with the first question. Computer coding is taking a set of instructions, inputting – programing– those instructions into a computer using a form of machine code (code language). The computer compiles that coded information and then performs (we hope) the desired task. While this sounds simple, its NOT and in fact, there’s a whole field of science (Computer Science) dedicated to the study of this type of technology. Computer Technology is present in nearly every field imaginable including, of course, technology sector but also in finance, retail, health, sports, entertainment, government and many others. With the use of computer technology comes the need for people who can input or program these codes. This leads to the answer to the second question.

Your child is learning a skill that many would say will guarantee employment if they stick with it and are good at it. The starting salary for many of these jobs is $60,000+ and the demand for these jobs will continue to increase! But more than the money, there are some very important benefits to your child learning to code. They are learning “thinking” skills which are VERY IMPORTANT in all subject areas-Reading, Math and Science. Coding improves problem solving skills, creativity and critical thinking skills. Coding also:

• Promotes logical thinking that is breaking down problems into smaller manageable parts

• Develops resilience (tenacity, determination). Children build resilience through troubleshooting. If one solution doesn’t work, they keep trying until the problem is solved.

• Helps with problem-solving skills. Through coding, children learn to think and learn about different situations that are not the norm. They learn to analyze options and have to come up with a way to solve any challenges they come across.

• Improves your child’s math skills. This doesn’t mean that students need to be a math genius to learn computer programming. It just means that as they learn to code, they will pick up the skills needed to solve math problems along the way.

• Helps your child learn to learn Generally, when children learn in a classroom, there is a teacher who teaches a particular subject. With coding, children are able to experiment and learn themselves. Experimenting with code allows children to understand that sometimes the answers are not always simple, and sometimes there is more than one answer to a particular problem.

Reference

Chontelle, B. (2018, August 24 Published).

Article: 8 Reasons Why Every Child Should Learn to Code. Retrieved from:  https://teachyourkidscode.com/why-coding-is-important-to-learn/