On 10.10.15 05:29, Terry Reedy wrote:
Reconceptualizing for beginners...
Many people working with kids have asked for various changes to Python
in order to make it easier for kids, sometimes very young. Some
variations have been requested more than once.
1. Simple looping: 'repeat/do/loop/for n [times]:' (take your pick of
keyword) versus 'for i in range(n):'.
The latest request is by Andre Roberge, today on python-ideas, in
"Simpler syntax for basic iterations". This inspired me to write this
post. The education hook he offered is that the variation eliminates
the need for a loop variable in a context where variables are not
otherwise used. He has worked on robot programming for kids.
2. Simple function call: 'move 3', 'turn 90' (Logo, I believe) versus
'move(3)' 'turn(90)' (Turtle).
3. Simple Native language keywords. String-within-code translation is
not suited for this.
These are all things I think are wrong for Python itself but possibly
right for various learning situations. For 18 years I have watched
people try to change Python in ways like the above, when I think the
energy would be better directed to writing good quality translation
functions.
I would suggest to use other programming language. Logo or like. May be
Ruby or Tcl. They have simple looping and simple function call, there
are localized Logo dialects, and it is easy to localize Ruby and Tcl.
Please don't touch IDLE. At least while it is a part of Python. IDLE is
*Python's* Integrated Development and Learning Environment, not Logo's,
and shouldn't learn non-Python syntax.
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