With technology changing everyday life and the skills children need to be successful in the future, they are given the opportunity to learn and understand code at an early age. In KS2 they are taught how digital systems work and the foundations of programming. While still fairly new to the curriculum, we understand that it’s an area that not many parents know about. Here are some reasons from a senior school in the West Midlands as to why learning code is essential in the digital world we live in and how lessons can benefit your child.
Digital Literacy
Of course, the greatest benefit is that your child will be able to develop their digital literacy. In a world where an AI revolution is taking place, understanding code can put your child at a tremendous advantage. According to experts, it is predicted that the year 2030 will see 75% of jobs requiring some level of advanced digital skill.
Soft Skills
Although this is very technical, children can learn a multitude of “soft” skills needed every day. Skills such as creativity, problem solving, critical thinking, patience, and resilience.
Problem Solving Skill
There are various ways in which children must apply themselves when coding. First off, they will need to utilise what they’ve learned to write their own code and find solutions to make their ideas come to life. Of course, this requires creativity as your child will need to explore a range of different avenues and think innovatively to find an effective solution.
Builds Resilience
They might also need to trial a few different ideas before they are able to achieve their desired result. While this can be frustrating, it can build a child’s resilience. With technology, everything has become instantaneous so there’s a need for children to work on their patience and deferred gratification.
Inventing Solutions
There are an infinite number of possibilities that your child can access if they know how to code, they can build their own websites, applications and take on board exciting projects.
So How Can I Help My Child?
If you know how to code, you can explore themes and help your child practice. However, this is not the case for many parents and learning to code is a huge undertaking. In this case we’d recommend looking into tools and resources that will help your child learn and practise such as coding games and online tutorials that they can follow.
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