Monday, July 16, 2018

Code for Teens Review

Code for Teens has recently published this engaging beginner's guide to programming. We have enjoyed learning more about programming through this book titled, Code for Teens: The Awesome Beginner's Guide to Programming (Volume 1). My 13 year old son has always been interested in coding and other computer related things. This book was a nice starting point for him. While he has taken other coding classes online, this was nice having a book as a reference point. The glossy, full-color pages are interactive and engaging.
Parents need to be sure to read the section of the book titled "A Word for Parents". This is the only part of the book that kids are not allowed to read. This chapter basically spells it out for the adults that even if they don't know a thing about coding, their kids can still learn and still be successful by using this book. The book is intended for teens to use on their own; however, a parent should make an effort to double check their work. Go ahead and ask the teen to explain to you or show you what they have done. You may be surprised at how much they are learning and how much you can learn just from having them explain it to you. Check their quiz answers. It only takes a few second and provides feedback as well as the  message that you care.

Each chapter is laid out in a similar manner. The chapter lesson teaches a new skill or concept. At the end of each chapter there is a chapter quiz, key concepts from the new material, drills, and aggregate review, which is a fancy term for reviewing all of the concepts from previous chapters. I like to allow my kids to use their books and materials for quizzes and reviews.

This book focuses on JavaScript programming. The conclusion talks about a sequel volume to this title, which will focus on HTML and CSS programming. All three build on each other so it doesn't matter which order you learn them in.
Each chapter includes tons of information. It's not like a book that you read straight through. You read and do as you go through the chapter. The book starts with the basics of learning some basic computer vocabulary. You really don't need any fancy equipment except for a computer. You must have a computer to practice your skills on--not a phone or tablet. Different fonts mean different things, but the most important thing to know is that the actual code that is to be typed onto the computer is written in a gray highlight. I included a photo of a page from the book so you can see what I mean.

This is a great beginner's guide to programming. It is easy to understand and easy to use. Of course learning anything knew is going to take some time and lots of grit. With practice it will become easier. I really think learning to code is like learning a foreign language. The more you immerse yourself in it, the quicker you will learn. We look forward to continuing to learn about this topic as well as the second volume of this book!

Curious what other reviewers had to say about this product? Head on over to the Homeschool Review Crew blog to read all the reviews.

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