Programming Pedagogy in Primary Schools: Developing Computing Teaching
CO020 Online course
Investigate a range of pedagogical approaches for teaching programming to primary pupils
On this four-week course, you’ll examine a range of teaching methods suitable for teaching programming, particularly block-based programming languages, to primary school pupils (aged 5 to 11 years old).
You’ll look at general pedagogical concepts like Bloom’s verbs, semantic waves and cognitive load, as well as programming specific approaches such as Parson’s Problems or designing lessons using levels of abstraction.
You’ll have the chance to reflect on your current teaching practices, and how you can adapt your own lessons to take advantage of these approaches.
To book on our online CPD courses please log in to Teach Computing find the course and click on the course title.
You will be able to:
- Describe a range of pedagogical approaches, including unplugged approaches, 'Use-Modify-Create', and Parson's Problems
- Explore the key programming concepts of sequence, variables, selection, and iteration, and how these can be taught
- Model a learning sequence as a semantic wave
- Synthesise different pedagogies into a lesson plan
- Evaluate the use of these pedagogical approaches in your classroom
This course is part of the Teach primary computing certificate.
Teach primary computing
Our nationally recognised qualification will support you to demonstrate your commitment to developing your own practice and to computing as a school subject.
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Also part of Teach primary computing:
Creating an Inclusive Classroom: Approaches to Supporting Learners with SEND in Computing
Explore ways to make your computing lessons more inclusive for learners with special educational needs and disabilities.
Primary programming and algorithms
Discover engaging and effective ways to help children use computational thinking.
Scratch to Python: Moving from Block- to Text-based Programming
Learn how to apply the thinking and programming skills you've learnt in Scratch