The definitive resource for understanding coding, designed for educators and parents What is coding? Why should we teach students to code? Is coding for everyone, or only for specialists? Why do many schools fail to teach computer science adequately? Whether you are an educator or a parent, knowing what coding is and how to teach it has never been more important. As more and more public schools are mandating computer science education, you need to understand how to effectively teach programming languages and coding. Written by expert computer science educators and researchers, Don't Teach Coding: Until You Read This Book is a comprehensive, yet accessible resource that explains everything you should know before you start teaching a programming language. This much-needed book demystifies programming languages while offering real-world insights on charting a child's educational path in computer science. The authors share recent scientific research on how the brain learns coding and provide classroom-proven exercises for strengthening coding skills. Clear, jargon-free chapters explore a wide range of essential topics, from the history of computer science education and its influence on the current educational system to contemporary issues such as the "language wars." After introducing its main ideas through the engaging Wizard's Tale fictional narrative, each chapter examines progressively more powerful and complex programming languages. Don't Teach Coding: Until You Read This Book is indispensable for both beginning and experienced K-12 teachers as well as any adult with an interest in the teaching and learning of programming languages ? one language at a time. "Hamilton tells the best, untold story of America, while Don't Teach Coding does the same for computer programming. It's a transformative read for anyone who believes coding is for gearheads. Spoiler alert: It's for the literary among you." ?Camille McCue, PhD, author of Coding For Kids For Dummies